A total of 23 people have been accused of paying a court clerk to ensure they were not prosecuted for driving offences.

Munir Patel was jailed for three years for making illegal changes to the computer system at Redbridge Magistrates' Court in 2011.

Patel also advised people on how to avoid being summoned to court while working as an administrator at the court.

In 2011, a court heard £53,814 in cash was deposited in Patel’s bank account while another £42,383 payment was transferred into the same account without explanation.

This week, 23 people have been charged in connection with Operation Theemin, an investigation into conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office, bribery and perverting the course of justice.

Among those charged with perverting the course of justice are Zain Akthar, 20, a vehicle service worker of The Drive in Ilford, Kashif Hussain, 28, of Rutland Road, Ilford, Amna Lone, 23, of Benton Road in Ilford, and Umaer Zaffer, 27, of Northbrook Road, Ilford, Faisal Hussain, 26, an electrical engineer from Gyllyngdune Gardens in Ilford, and unemployed Hasham Syed, 25, of Levett Gardens in Ilford.

Karandeep Sanghera, 24, a trainee barrister of Eric Road in Wanstead Park, and Shinthuga Ratnaselvam, 26, of Westernville Gardens in Ilford have been charged with misconduct in a public office.

All of those charged have been released on bail and are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on February 13.

  • Faisal Hussain, of Gyllyngdune Gardens in Ilford, was acquitted of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice at Southwark Crown Court on August 1, 2014.