A contractor involved in dodgy dealings with the Ipswich City Council, west of Brisbane, has been jailed for corruption despite helping authorities investigate a former council CEO by wearing a wire.
Wayne Innes, a former NSW Police officer, wore the covert recording device to help authorities charge and ultimately jail former Ipswich City Council CEO Carl Wulff.
Wulff, his wife Sharon Oxenbridge and Ipswich businessman Wayne Myers were sentenced to prison over the dealings earlier this year.
Innes, 59, was sentenced to four years in jail, suspended after 12 months on Friday, after pleading guilty to several charges including corruption, forgery and attempted fraud in the District Court in Brisbane earlier this week.
Judge Deborah Richards told the court the owner of Landfill Logistics offered a $1.5 million bribe to former Ipswich City Council CEO Jim Lindsay, with the hope of making up to $30 million through a piece of land he had interest in.
The bribe was to be laundered through a betting account in Mr Lindsay's name, but the full payment had not gone through after "investors became uncomfortable".
The business owner also benefited from up to $70,000 in reduced dump fees after claiming to be from the council.
'Calculated and planned offences'
The court also heard he used his relationship with an official from Racing Queensland to gain insider knowledge to win several tenders with the organisation.
"Your relationship with Ipswich CEO James Lindsay involved entertaining him at races in Brisbane and Melbourne, whilst asking him to exert his influence at council for your advantage," she said.
"It was dishonesty extending over a long period of time involving two entities and public officials.
"These were calculated and planned offences — you exploited personal relationships to corrupt public officials."
Cooperation with CCC investigation
In sentencing, Judge Richards told the court she took into account Innes's remorse and cooperation in Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) investigation into the Ipswich City Council.
"In addition to giving a statement you secretly recorded a meeting with Wulff — your information led to the discovery of corrupt practices," she said.
"The investigation and prosecution of serious corrupt conduct by public officers is vitally important to ensuring the community of Queensland has trust in the integrity of their governments and in the administration of public funds.
"You have been integral in identifying the extent of that conduct in the Ipswich City Council."
Innes said a tearful goodbye to his family in the dock before being taken into custody.
