Melton Borough Council’s former housing asset manager, Richard Whitmore, has been jailed for dishonestly awarding his wife’s cleaning firm a £150,000 contract.

For abusing his position of trust, Whitmore was sentenced to 20 months in jail for awarding the four-year contract to his wife’s firm.

Jayne Whitmore, who was sentenced to 14 months in jail (suspended for two years), had set up Clean Jeans under the name ‘Jayne Adams’, complete with bogus work references and a different address on her business cards. Mr. Whitmore was responsible for following up any references.

Judge Nicholas Dean QC said: “It was corruption in its purest form, no doubt emanating from greed.”

Both will face losing assets at an upcoming ‘proceeds of crime’ hearing, however Judge Dean stated that he would take into account that a cleaning service was in fact provided to the council.