Bribery case not proven

At the end of the two-week trial, jurors unanimously found the charges against Midlothian Council employee Mark Rankine, 53, and co-accused, M. M. Repair Services director Alistair McGowan, 67, from Pencaitland, not proven. The pair were standing trial after prosecutors claimed the pair breached the Bribery Act 2010.

The Crown claimed that Mr McGowan, a director of a firm called MM Repair Services Ltd, gave a "financial advantage" of £131,652.90 to his co-accused, a Midlothian Council employee.

It was claimed this was to "reward" Mr Rankine for the company being awarded work to the value of £2,071,250.28 from Midlothian Council.

It was further alleged the payment was made from a bank account "in the name of MM Repair Services Ltd" to a bank account belonging to another company called MJR Construction and Country Services Ltd.

The Crown said Mr Rankine was a director in this firm.

The second charge alleged that Mr Rankine accepted the "financial advantage" from Mr McGowan, in "anticipation of" and "in consequence" of an "improper performance" of a function.

It was alleged that Mr Rankine, “by his own hand” and by “the hands of Midlothian Council employees directed by him” added MM Repair Services Ltd to a "financial database of approved suppliers of services", causing the council to award MM Repair Services Ltd work, between August 2011 and January 2018.

Mr McGowan, of Pencaitland, East Lothian, and Mr Rankine, of Galashiels in the Borders, pleaded not guilty to the charges..

Jurors returned the verdicts at the end of their second day of deliberations in the case on Thursday afternoon

Judge Lord Lake told the pair they could leave the court, saying: “Alistair McGowan and Mark Rankine, by the verdict of the jury you have both been acquitted of the charges against you.

“You are now discharged from the dock and are free to go.”