A CEREDIGION man has been jailed for taking secret payments and gifts worth more than £70,000 whilst working for the Ministry of Defence.

Jeffrey Cook, 67, has been jailed for 30 months at Southwark Crown Court after being convicted of misconduct in public office for using his role to commission reports from an offshore consultancy firm within which he had personal contacts.

A Serious Fraud Office investigation found he received over £70,000 worth of payments and gifts, comprising £44,000 in cash and two cars.

Mr Cook received the kickbacks while employed at the MoD and seconded to UK defence contractor Paradigm.

As part of his job, Cook asked ME Consultants Limited to create reports for the MoD between 2005 and 2006.

The MoD spent £702,800 on the reports, paying the firm's Swiss bank account.

Cook was also handed a confiscation order to pay £123,813 within three months.

Reacting to the sentence, Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Nick Ephgrave QPM, said: “I am proud of my team for their determination and tenacity in prosecuting a complex case of corruption involving the defence industry.

“Today’s sentencing demonstrates the Serious Fraud Office’s ability to hold individuals to account.”