IPSWICH: A crooked Ministry of Defence maintenance officer who accepted backhanders of more than �60,000 from his former boss is starting a jail sentence today.

Timothy Grogan, of Woolverstone Close, Ipswich, was responsible for the supervision of a multi-million pound maintenance contract at RAF Lakenheath.

Ipswich Crown Court heard the 50-year-old worked as a defence estates grounds maintenance officer at the USAF base at the time of the offences.

Between December 1998 and January 2006 he received cash payments well in excess of �60,000 from the former managing director of Ground Control Limited.

The company reported the misconduct to the authorities when it came to light.

Grogan received regular payments of �1,000 cash at a time concealed in brown envelopes. These were made at a roadside service station. He also received �10,000 worth of landscaping to two homes.

Grogan was jailed for eight months after pleading guilty to a charge of wilful misconduct in a public office at a hearing last month.

After the case, prosecuting lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service, Nick Staite, said: “The defendant was a member of the civil service working for the Ministry of Defence and was responsible for the supervision of a very substantial maintenance contract at RAF Lakenheath.

“He abused his position, working for a government body that protects the public, to obtain vast sums of cash during a period of eight years, receiving at least �8,000 a year.

“We are pleased this very thoroughly investigated case has been brought to a successful conclusion.”

n Should the law be tougher on public service workers who take backhanders? E-mail eveningstarletters@ eveningstar.co.uk or write to Star Letters, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.