Four council workers took £175,000 in bribes from wealthy waste disposal boss, 54, so he could pay less money in fees to dump rubbish at a tip

• Taxpayers lost out on more than £400,000 in the large scale scam in Cardiff

Four council workers took £175,000 in bribes from a wealthy waste disposal boss so that he could pay less money in fees to dump rubbish at a tip.

Warren Roberts, 54, the owner of A&T Waste Management, saved more than £200,000 by paying the huge bribes to corrupt workers.

Scandalously, taxpayers lost out on more than £400,000 in the large scale scam at a city dump in Cardiff after workers doctored the scales at the council-run tip in exchange for cash payments.

The offences came to the attention of Cardiff City Council after a whistleblower came forward with the alleged corruption involving A&T – one of the council’s largest commercial customers in waste.

Roberts admitted bribery at Cardiff Crown Court along with three workers from the Bessemer Road dump.

Warren Roberts, 54, admitted bribery at Cardiff Crown Court and was jailed for 28 months

A fourth worker, Andrew Barnett, 54, was found guilty of the same charge after a trial.

Speaking after the case the Crown Prosecution Service said: ‘The case centres around Warren Roberts, the controller of a sole trading waste disposal company named A&T Waste Management, paying bribes to Cardiff Council staff operating the weighbridge (large scales used in the waste industry to weigh vehicles and measure the amount of material they are carrying) and sorting waste at Bessemer Close, Cardiff.

‘These offences came to the attention of Cardiff City Council after a whistle blower alleged corruption within the Waste Management Division.

‘It became apparent that A&T, one of the council’s largest commercial customers in waste, were engaged in corrupt practices with waste deposited by A&T being deliberately misrepresented.

‘As a result, A&T were saving significant operating costs through reduced tipping fees. In return for their assistance in undercharging A&T, four Cardiff Council staff were paid cash bribes by Roberts.

A fourth worker, Andrew Barnett, 54, was found guilty of bribery after a trial and was jailed for 18 months

Corrupt council worker Cesario DeAbreu, 35, was jailed for 22 months following the trial

Scandalously, taxpayers lost out on more than £400,000 in the large scale scam at a city dump in Cardiff

Workers doctored the scales at the council-run tip in exchange for cash payments (Pictured: Corrupt council worker Cesario DeAbreu)

The offences came to the attention of Cardiff City Council after a whistleblower came forward with the alleged corruption involving A&T – one of the council’s largest commercial customers in waste

‘As a result, Cardiff Council lost around £417,000 in tipping fees and A&T, run by Roberts, benefitted to the tune of £238,000. It is estimated that around £175,000 in bribes were paid to the council staff.’

Roberts was jailed for 28 months, Barnett was jailed for 18 months, Cesario DeAbreu, 35, was jailed for 22 months, while Anthony Miles, 27, and Joshua Hayman, 33, were given suspended sentences.

Alistair Dickson of the CPS said: ‘Bribery of officials damages public trust in the system of local government and undermines council finances. These counsel workers exploited their position of trust to line their own pockets.

‘Waste management is an important council service used to protect the local environment and should not be manipulated by customers and council employees for criminal gain.

‘We would like to thank Cardiff City Council and South Wales for all their work on this case.’

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