BBC manager overpaid himself

A BBC manager has been jailed for three years for stealing more than £155,000 from the corporation for work he never carried out.

Lee Richardson, 52 awarded contracts to a firm he owned and spend the money on luxury cars and family holidays, Wimbledon Magistrates heard.

Sentinal Services invoiced the BBC on 12 occasions for works that had not been carried out to the total value of £155,451.68.

Richardson of Alexandra Drive, Surbiton, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position on 19 April 2017.

He subsequently paid back the full amount he had stolen from the BBC.

On Tuesday, 18 July Richardson was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court to three years’ imprisonment.

Detective Constable Andy Chapman, who led the investigation, said:

‘Richardson knowingly and intentionally took public money to support his lifestyle of cars and a number of family holidays.

‘The length of the sentence Richardson has received reflects the high value of the fraud and the fact that the money was taken from the BBC, a broadcaster funded by the public.”