...official accepted bribes to fund gambling addiction...

Former council official accepted bribes to fund gambling addiction, court hears

By Shannon Deery Herald Sun
September 07, 2012


A FORMER top-ranking council official who accepted more than $130,000 in bribes to turn a blind eye to illegal brothels around Melbourne was funding a crippling gambling addiction, a court has been told.

The former Yarra City Council official, who cannot be named, was paid by operators of illegal brothels over a six-year period to warn them of raids in his area.

In documents tendered at the the Melbourne Magistrates' Court yesterday the man said he was ''disgusted that I allowed myself to sell my soul''.

Giving evidence at a committal hearing for four people charged with bribery and illegal prostitution the man said he had originally refused bribe attempts but started accepting the payments when his ''gambling and personal financial situations were out of control'' and his life ''started to spiral downwards''.

Xue Di 'Jenny' Yan, 50, Hao Yong 'Tony' Tang, 50, Anton Lu, 51, and Neil Hancock, 66, have been charged with more than 250 offences including making corrupt payments and operating as a sex work provider without a license.

The man said Lu started paying him regular $500 monthly payments in about 2004 but later increased the payments to $1000 a week in return for added protection.

Other payments were allegedly deposited directly into the man's Tabcorp account.

The court was told Hancock, who operated Club Striptease in Richmond, paid in cash and cheques that ranged from $600 to $4000.

The man said he used the money to fund his gambling addiction and would use his kids to get more cash when he fell short.

''I would usually send a text message and make up some sort of cock 'n' bull story about one of my kids being crook, and I needed money now,'' he said.

The council official, who was responsible for stamping out illegal brothels in his area, said he was well aware of illegal activities at businesses in Yarra council including in Richmond and Fitzroy North,

He said on one occasion he phoned Hancock to warn him police were about to raid his business and instructed him on how to hide any evidence of illegal activity.

''I remember speaking to Neil after this inspection and we joked about the fact that it was a close call,'' he said.

The council official was jailed for three years and two month in November last year after he pleaded guilty to accepting bribes.

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