Bribery Act & Proceeds of Crime - Written by on Sunday, December 4, 2011 11:20 - 1 Comment

Merry Christmas from the Royal Mail: Postmen (and women) – tips could violate Bribery Act

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The Royal Mail has said baah humbug to Christmas in a seasonal move warning posties about the risk of violating the Bribery Act if they receive a Christmas tip.

WIth the festive message “It’s the season of goodwill.”…it continues “But it’s important to be careful about accepting gifts so you don’t fall foul of the Bribery Act.”

Merry Christmas to you too.

The Royal Mail Christmas message adds “Gifts may only be given or accepted up to a value of £30; any gifts over £30 must be politely declined”.

The Daily Mail, one of the many papers to pick up on the story quotes a Royal Mail spokesman, in what appears an attempt to climb down from the £30 cap, saying:

As has been the case for many years, postmen and women are able to accept Christmas tips. They cannot, however, be accepted in return for favours or preferential treatment. It is entirely up to customers if they wish to give a tip to postmen and women at Christmas and to what value.’ [our emphasis – no reference to the £30 cap]

In other news, no doubt all Police leave is to be cancelled in anticipation of a spike of bribery cases being handed to them ‘on a plate’ with mince pies and malt whiskies being left up and down the land on Christmas Eve.  A Police spokesman reportedly said “it should be a Christmas Grinch to convict with vast numbers of letters now being sent to the North Pole *actually listing* lavish presents bribes sought.”

Prosecutors were reportedly celebrating that with this type of evidence to mount prosecutions under the Bribery Act their Christmas really has come early…

Shurely shome mishtake?


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Howard
Dec 4, 2011 15:43

Seriously? You people across the Pond need to calm down. I don’t think there’s been a “postman’s gift” case ever in US history.

I don’t even think the CPS would lower themselves to that level. It’s theoretical risk.

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