Senior firefighter jailed for corruption after receiving nearly $200k in kickbacks
Updated
Photo:
Sparks will be eligible for parole after six months of his sentence. (Supplied: Channel Nine)
A former senior firefighter has been sentenced to three years’ prison for receiving $194,500 in kickbacks for helping companies secure contracts with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES).
Key points:
- Sparks’ estranged wife and an anonymous source raises the alarm about the corrupt payments
- The former senior firefighter helped two companies secure government contracts, reaching out for one to apply despite being inexperienced
- Sparks didn’t reveal the relationship to QFES, claiming he found the company through internet searches
Steven John Sparks, 44, was working as a QFES inspector when he helped two companies obtain contracts for uniform and laundering services without declaring a conflict of interest, the District Court in Brisbane heard.
He also helped the same two companies enter a separate tendering process for the chance to become a managed service provider for QFES.
His offending unravelled following complaints from an anonymous source and his estranged wife.
Sparks today pleaded guilty to four counts of official corruption spanning 2014 to 2017.
Judge Gregory Lynham described his offending as a gross breach of trust and sentenced him to three years’ prison, to be suspended after serving six months.
“Anyone holding the rank you did … was placed in a position of trust, and your offending … goes to the very heart of a gross breach of that trust,” he said.
‘Dramatic fall from grace’
Prosecutor David Nardone said Sparks received paid consultancy work from the two companies to the tune of $194,500.
The court heard when QFES began researching companies that would be capable of supplying uniforms, Sparks reached out to a water sports clothing company that he already knew.
“That company had no experience in supplying corporate uniforms … regardless, he contacted that company to see if it would be interested in providing a submission,” Mr Nardone said.
The court was told Sparks recommended to the QFES project team that they include that company in the uniform supplier selection process.
“He wrote an inaccurate file note stating that it had been identified through internet searches rather than the existing relationship,” he said.
The court heard, as a result, the business was one of eight invited by QFES to provide written submissions.
Sparks then helped the company through four phases of the selection process, including drafting a document for them, despite him being responsible for assessing all written submissions.
The company was successful and it was ultimately picked as a uniform supplier.
Defence barrister Tim Ryan said it had been a “dramatic fall from grace” for his client, who felt remorse, shame and embarrassment.
He told the court Sparks was not solely responsible for awarding the tenders and, in the case of the laundry contract, was the chair of the evaluation process but was not in a position to influence the outcome.
But Mr Ryan said his client accepted that the help given to these companies placed them in a better position to compete.
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