Dockyard man on corruption charge

Contractors were building a new supply depot at Devonport

A manager at a military dockyard in Devon has appeared in court accused of getting a contractor to build a £6,000 wall at his home for free.

Malcolm Spurrell was in charge of a £4.5m project to build a new supply depot at Plymouth's Devonport Dockyard.

Plymouth Crown Court was told that he approached a site manager and asked for the wall to be built.

Mr Spurrell, 56, of Cornwall, denies corruption, saying he built the wall over a year with his builder brother.

His position was very important indeed to them Nick Lewin, prosecuting

The court heard that Mr Spurrell had direct control on when 16 staged payments were made to building firm CH Pearce for the dockyard work.

Nick Lewin, prosecuting, said Mr Spurrell's position could also influence future work.

He said: "His position was very important indeed to them."

The wall at Mr Spurrell's converted barn at St Johns, near Torpoint in east Cornwall, cost about £6,000 in 2004, said Mr Lewin.

But there is a "wealth of evidence to show the company paid for the work on his behalf".

Mr Lewin said documents showed CH Pearce paid for sub contractors and deliveries which were invoiced to them and sent to Mr Spurrell's address.

Mr Spurrell even signed for a delivery of sand, gravel and cement from Jewson's which was invoiced to the site manager at CH Pearce's office at the dockyard project.

The case continues.