@BarTyke may be able to assist. POCA may come after him too and take some of his money away depending on how much he has benefited from. That may hurt him more than a suspended sentence or a short stay at her Majesty's pleasure.
I fear he may have to face both. Proceeds of Crime confiscation order looks inevitable which would carry further jail time in the event it wasn’t paid. The bribery sentencing guidelines are a bit of a minefield but I suspect it will be immediate custody, particularly after trial. Medium culpability/harm given high profile nature and potential to undermine public confidence in professional sport. And obviously allowing himself to be bribed for personal gain. I’d expect at least 18 months. Anything up to 2 years can be suspended but he’d be doing well. Sad day for him and his family.
I wonder which were the players involved and whether they did sign up with either of the agents. You would think probably not, but I would wager that some transfers went through at a knock-down price to us as a result of their contract details being leaked. Sounds like the Scowen, Hourihane and Roberts era to me - they all left, didn't they, but for what seemed to be a fair price to us. I just think that the Tommy Wright discovery is just the tip of the iceberg. The transfer fees and salaries in football these days are so huge and obscene that even a an agent's cut of 1%, let alone 10%, is going to rake them in very nice living for very little work. I can see that honest agents can be in players' interests, as well as clubs to facilitate trading, but you just know that there must be corruption around which has never been properly uncovered.
The Telegraph claimed it was the tip of the iceberg. That this was to be the first in a string of revelations, many very high profile, which would rock football to its foundations, in their Football for Sale series. And then nothing happened. They got Sam Allardyce to resign from his post as England manager but what he said was factually correct and he was cleared of any wrong doing. And they got Tommy Wright. I'd never heard of Tommy Wright and he worked for us! He accepted a 5 grand bung, if that's what it actually was, as it was a set up. Not condoning his actions just questioning if football is as corrupt as was claimed and if it is, where is the evidence?
Wright is really small fry isn't he? £5k bung is just a tip to some in this game, agents and players. Actually feel a bit sorry for him.
Hi Bar tyke, The value of the offending may pull it down somewhat as he only netted £5,000 with a promise of £5k to come. He did run a trial but he didnt make a large gain or involve public officials etc. . As you say, complex and not as easy as the fraud sentencing guidelines to unravel. As regards POCA I've just checked the latest updated Schedule 2 offences and rather bizarrely Bribery doesn't appear to be on it. I've never dealt with a bribery so not sure. Looking for authorities I got completely distracted when I found the Supreme Court case of Petrodel on the corporate veil and disappeared down a rabbit hole for an hour or so. As there are only two offences unless the offending can be stretched out to six months or more (which doesnt appear to be the case) it doesn't look like lifestyle offending. If that is correct the POCA is confined to £5k for particular conduct with an uplift for change in the value of money. If somone has found a shedload of similar payments in his accounts from previous cases he could face an unexplained wealth order but that has a statutory minimum of £50,000. I think has someone else has previously raised, my thought is he seems a sprat caught in a mackerel net. Stupid of him though and thank God in Patrick (RIP) the Telegraph sting came up against a man who acted honestly BTW did you make it to M'bro?
Hi Darfield I agree with your take on matters and looks like POCA assumptions won’t apply as they would if lifestyle offence. I do fear there will be an appetite for making an example given the high profile along with an argument for an element of deterrence and sending the message out. In mitigation you are right to point out the relatively small amount involved and the whiff of entrapment. I would give him a bender, not because I am soft but rather on the basis of his previous good character and the devastating effect the conviction will have upon his life and livelihood, not to mention the impact upon his family. After 25 years at the Bar I am a big believer in second chances and hope such is extended to Tommy Wright. I tend to deal predominantly with homicides these days and encounter pure wickedness on a regular basis such that I distinguish between those who need to be hammered at sentence and others who deserve a chance for moments of madness involving financial gain with no obvious victim. The counter argument is that the good name of football is the victim here and that is Tommy’s greatest hurdle here. I’m prosecuting a truly horrific offence this week which will likely hit the headlines and put matters in perspective. And yes, I made it to Boro, got p*ss wet through and despite the result enjoyed every minute of watching the reds for the first time in a while, my perspective no doubt skewed by the pre and post match beer!
Glad you enjoyed Boro. My lad is a student up that way so we went to the game and that made it a bit more bearable. Half way through the game I remarked on their good disabled facilities which he quickly pointed out was a damming indictment of the on field entertainment. Southwark Crown is the epi-centre for economic crime/POCA (the CPS have their POC HQ round the corner) and I have a feeling they will see it in context as they see multi-million pound cases on a daily basis. Why he didnt enter a plea is anyone's guess and I'm assuming somebody would have sounded out a goodyear indication. If they did and fell on stoney ground it makes it squeeky bum time for him. The only other exacerbating factor was that he was acting to the detriment of his employer which may count as abusing a position of trust, particularly as it appears he was trying to persuade "young, impressionable underlings" (if you can call footballers that) to also do acts to the potential detriment of their collective employer. But, then again, little chance of re-offending and a blighted career. Anyway he was a part of a memorable time for our club and, like you, on balance, I feel a bender wouldnt go amiss. Take care mate, good luck with the impending case
I would be incredibly shocked if for such a small amount in football terms and with his previous clean record if he gets jail time.
You talk a lot of sense Darfield and obviously know your POCA. I always struggled, even when prosecuting, with what I found to be a rather perverse logic underlying the assumptions particularly when applied to relative small fry. When I practised in Leeds I prosecuted a contested 5 week job arising from international *** importation. It was great as we could adduce foreign intercept which utterly knacked them. Got multi million pound orders with 10 year default sentences. One of them ran and was picked up a few years ago to do his 10 following an appearance on Crimewatch. Spot on re Goodyear too - must have been discussed and rather suggests head in sand approach. Didn’t follow the case but struggling to see what defence was run. Anyway, we shall soon see. All the best pal and look me up if you ever get up this way.
