Following on from my post about the first person to be charged under the U.K. Bribery Act, Munir Yakub Patel recently appeared before Southwark Crown Court to answer the charge that, in exchange for £500, he used his job as an administration clerk to avoid putting details of a traffic summons offence on a court database.

Details of the incident were first uncovered in August 2011 and, having come into force on 1 July 2011, a prosecution was commenced under section 2 of the U.K. Bribery Act; which prohibits an individual from requesting and accepting a bribe in order to improperly perform their functions.

At the hearing, Patel admitted bribery and also misconduct in a public office, dating from 23 February 2009 to August 2011, in relation to which he advised people how to avoid being summoned for similar offences. 

Patel, who is due to be sentenced on 11 November 2011, could face up to 10 years in prison.