by Keith Hunt

A company boss who runs Herne Bay Golf Club has been jailed for 15 months for trying to corrupt a Canterbury city councillor.

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC told Julian Brealy although Cllr Roger Matthews was not corrupted, he saw him as a useful ally in a position of some influence.

Brealy, he said, adopted a generous approach to his failure to pay rent for almost six years and allowing him to benefit to the tune of some £34,000.

Brealy, of Mandarin Lane, Herne Bay, denied corruption but was convicted at Maidstone Crown Court last month by a 10-2 majority.

Mr Matthews, of Beltinge Road, Herne Bay, also denied the charge and was acquitted.

The 58-year-old councillor was accused of corruptly receiving benefit by way of the unpaid rent as a reward for promoting the interests of Brealy, 51, and two of his companies, Herne Bay Golf Club and Hollanby Estates Ltd.

His landlord was Hollanby Estates. Brealy is managing director and a shareholder in the family business.

Mr Matthews, who represented Greenhill and Eddington, denied he showed favour to Brealy in return for being allowed to live rent free between May 2002 and July 2008.

The judge banned Brealy from being a company director for five years and ordered him to pay £8,786 in prosecution costs.

Philip Noble, defending, said Brealy, also a director of Heron Helicopters, would have no income if sent to prison and would not be able to pay the amount for some time.

He added that if Brealy was not able to continue running the golf club, about 30 employees would lose their jobs.

Passing sentence, Judge Griffith-Jones said Brealy had "foolishly and, it has to be said, arrogantly" stated Mr Matthews smoothed things through planning for him.