Former BBC boss in court on fraud and bribery charges

A former director of BBC Worldwide appeared in Eastern Court yesterday facing bribery and fraud charges over the placing of purchase orders for toys.

Jeffrey Everard Taylor, 41, faces one count of conspiracy to defraud, one of conspiracy to offer an advantage and one of conspiracy to deal with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offences. No pleas were taken. The alleged offences took place between August 1999 and September last year. Magistrate Robert McNair adjourned the case to next Tuesday.