The Bribery Act 2010 increased the number of bribery and corruption offences, with businesses at risk of breaching the law even if they are unaware of the wrongdoing.
If you are advised of a bribery investigation into you or your business you should seek legal representation as soon as possible to ensure that your rights are protected. Penalties can be severe, with maximum unlimited fines and/or imprisonment.

Expert legal advice and guidance

At Taylor Law we will step in straight away to help you in the event that you or your business are facing allegations of bribery or corruption.
We represent clients across a wide range of sectors in respect of Bribery Act investigations.
Allegations of this sort can be damaging to your reputation and it is important to address them without delay.
It is not always easy to know whether bribery has taken place, for example, whether accepting corporate hospitality is acceptable or whether making a facilitation payment to fast-track paperwork could constitute a bribe, and even small businesses can fall foul of the regulations. If you have any doubts, you should seek legal advice to ensure that you are not exposing yourself to possible criminal prosecution.

The Bribery Act 2010

The Bribery Act contains four main offences, as follows:

• Bribing another person
• Accepting a bribe
• Bribing a foreign public official
• Failure by a commercial organisation to prevent bribery

If an individual commits the first three offences with the consent or involvement of an official within a business, then that business will be criminally liable as well as the official.
The fourth offence, that of failure to prevent bribery, can only be committed by an organisation and not by an individual. It is an onerous offence however, as even where company officials were unaware of the bribery, for example, if it happened overseas, an offence is still committed.
It is intended that the Bribery Act promote anti-bribery practices and this offence in particular has encouraged businesses to put internal policies in place to try and prevent bribery. Having adequate procedures to prevent bribery is a defence to this fourth charge.
Companies are also now carrying out internal investigations unprompted and self-reporting breaches to try to avoid adverse publicity and prosecution and demonstrate the efficiency of their policies in preventing bribery and we can help you deal with this if you believe you may have breached the rules.

Bribery Act investigations

The Serious Fraud Office is a main investigator of bribery allegations, but other authorities also use the Act including the National Crime Agency’s International Corruption Unit and the Financial Conduct Authority. The police can also be involved alongside these bodies.
If you are notified of an investigation into your conduct or that of your organisation, we can help you prepare for any interview. Where the interview is under caution, we can attend with you to ensure that your rights and interests are protected.
In the event that there is a case against you, we will work to put together a strong defence. We are familiar with agencies involved and we understand how they work. If we believe that the case against you cannot be proved or the evidence is weak we will work to have any charges dropped. If
appropriate, we can negotiate with investigators for immunity or a plea agreement on your behalf.
In the event that your case proceeds to trial, you can be sure of a robust defence.

Contact us

At Taylor Law we have an excellent track record of success in working with clients who are being investigated under the Bribery Act.
We have expert criminal defence solicitors in Leeds, Middlesbrough and London who can step in immediately to represent you and deal with investigators and police on your behalf.
For an initial discussion, ring us on 0113 532 8100 (Leeds), 01642 221 108 (Middlesbrough) or 0203 780 7646 (London) or fill in our Contact Form.