Peterborough Crown Court recently heard that it was part of a corrupt business relationship in which Roger Stevens (63), who was manager of the waste water treatment plant at the McCain food factory in Whittlesey, paid Malcolm Clifford (57), of Downham, for jobs he did not do, as well as overpaying him. The total paid to Clifford that he should not have received added up to £7,177, and a large amount of work had been carried out for free at Stevens' house.

Both Stevens and Clifford had admitted four counts of obtaining money by deception at a previous hearing. On Friday, May 2, they were both given a ten-month prison sentence for each offence, suspended for 18 months, ordered to carry out 250 hours of community service, fined £7,000 and ordered to pay £1,100 costs.

Clifford had already paid £4,000 compensation to McCain and Stevens was told to pay £2,965 compensation to the firm.

Judge Nicholas Coleman said: "You clearly sought to gorge yourselves on this company."