Former Logan City mayor Luke Smith pleads guilty to corruption charges
A prominent former mayor has pleaded guilty to a string of corruption charges while he was in public office.
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Former Logan City mayor Luke Smith has pleaded guilty to corruption while he was in public office.
The former councillor, whose full name is Timothy Luke Smith, was set to face trial over the charges and appeared before Brisbane District Court on Tuesday for arraignment.
He was convicted after pleading guilty to one count each of secret commission, misconduct in relation to public office and the obligation of a councillor to make public their own interest.
The court heard Smith had received a boat in Woolgoolga from a party trying to influence his position in council between July 22, 2016, and September 10, 2016.
He also pleaded guilty to using his influence in council to favour the recruitment process between June 1, 2017 and July 1, 2017 to hire a specific person in order to benefit that person.
Smith also intentionally failed to inform the council chief executive officer of a matter of interest within the 30 day required reporting period between August 29, 2016, and September 29, 2017.
A trial date had been set for August for the misconduct of public office charge but was delisted on Tuesday after Smith entered his guilty plea.
Crown prosecutor Mark Green said Tuesday a further indictment for receiving secret commission against Smith would be dealt with on Thursday, when he is set to be sentenced.
The matter was adjourned to Thursday.
Smith remains on bail until his sentence.
The charges against Smith were laid as part of the Crime and Corruption Commission’s investigation into Queensland councils in March 2018.
The state’s corruption watchdog had held a series of public hearings in 2017 exploring the conduct of councillors from several southeast Queensland councils, including Logan City.
Originally published as Former Logan City mayor Luke Smith pleads guilty to corruption charges
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