A property director was involved in paying nearly £300,000 in bribes to his brother in order to secure lucrative council housing contracts, a court has heard.
Ashley Parker, 63, allegedly bribed his 64-year-old brother, Jugal Sharma, while serving as housing director at Brighton and Hove City Council between 2004 and 2014.
At the time, Parker was running Kem Property Services, which went on to become one of the largest providers of private rented housing to the authority.
By 2014, the successful business was achieving an annual profit of up to 2.3million. It also went on to secure a £20million contract to provide up to 350 flats and houses to the council.
Southwark Crown Court heard that Parker changed his name by deed poll from Ashone Sharma in 2006 after his brother joined the council as a senior executive and, later, head of housing.
