Boss of Skip Firm in Conspiracy with Cardiff Council Staff to Commit Fraud Must Repay More Than £300,000 in Cash Bribes
In a scandal involving bribery and corruption, Warren Roberts, the owner of skip firm A&T, has been implicated in a criminal scheme with four Cardiff council employees. The illicit agreement aimed to reduce the fees Roberts had to pay for disposing of waste at the Bessemer Close recycling centre in Leckwith.
The employees, Cesario Deabreu, Andrew Barnett, Anthony Miles, and Joshua Hayman, received cash bribes from Roberts amounting to around £1,700 per week. The scheme involved under-weighing loads of waste, misreporting expensive mixed waste as simpler materials, and manipulating weighbridge results to lower charges for A&T.
The fraudulent activities came to light when a whistle-blower reported the misconduct. The conspiracy ran for 14 months, during which A&T deposited waste multiple times daily at the recycling centre. Roberts, described as the mastermind behind the bribery plot, pocketed significant sums of money due to the undercharging.
At the sentencing hearing in Swansea Crown Court, Roberts received a 28-month prison sentence, while Deabreu was sentenced to 22 months and Barnett to 18 months. Miles received a 14-month suspended sentence with unpaid work, and Hayman was handed a nine-month suspended sentence with unpaid work.
Proceeds of Crime Act hearings revealed the extent of the ill-gotten gains, with Roberts ordered to repay £251,282, Deabreu £42,894, Barnett £42,894, Miles £17,005, and Hayman £9,327. Failure to repay within specified deadlines could result in imprisonment for the defendants.
The scandal has prompted calls for an external review of Cardiff Council’s waste management procedures to prevent future corruption incidents within the organisation. This case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of engaging in fraudulent activities and the importance of integrity in public service.