On 23 April 2013, Mr Yang Li was the third individual to be convicted under the UK Bribery Act 2010 after he attempted to bribe his tutor.
Mr Li, a student at the University of Bath, offered his tutor £5,000 to amend his dissertation grade, which was 3% short of a pass mark. The tutor rejected the offer, and as Mr Li put his money away, a replica air pistol fell out of his pocket and onto the floor.
Mr Li pleaded guilty in Bristol Crown Court to charges of bribery (under Section 1 of the Bribery Act 2010) and possession of an imitation firearm. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay £4,880 in costs. Judge Michael Longman stated that “any form of corruption or incitement to a person in any manner amounts to a serious offence which must be taken seriously by the court.”
This is the third conviction under the Bribery Act 2010 in just under two years, so far all involving individuals. There has yet to be any corporate convictions, or any cases offering guidance on the corporate offence under Section 7, in particular on the meaning of “carrying on business” in the United Kingdom.