Derryn Mark Ladson, 34, indicated at Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday he would plead guilty to the amended charges of one count of obtaining financial advantage by deception and one count of offering/giving secret commissions following a successful summary jurisdiction application.

The Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission charges date back to September 15, 2013 to July 30, 2015, and October 28, 2013 to August 5, 2015.

Ladson allegedly corruptly gave former Ballarat City Council sport and recreational manager Lukas Peter Carey $21,245 in cash as a reward for allegedly allocating contracts to him operating under Ladson Building Services (LBS).

Court documents obtained by The Courier allege Ladson said Carey approached him and offered work on behalf of the City of Ballarat.

When Ladson told Carey his fee would be $1500, Carey replied, ‘Well, bill me for this and then the balance is for getting the job,’ court documents allege.

Court documents allege Ladson stated: “Well I guess I didn’t see it as deception as in to what I was to receive. I felt I was doing my job and in writing the reports and – and doing the inspections”.

Defence barrister Glenn Casement said the charges were serious but they could be dealt with in the magistrates court. He said Ladson had made full admissions to police and would plead guilty.

The court was told Carey and his wife Jasmine Finnigan could not attend their committal mention hearings because they were living in Western Australia.

Carey faces a string of fraud and corruption charges that amount to 55 offences. Finnigan faces a string of obtaining financial advantage charges.

They were ordered to attend the Ballarat court on June 22, while Ladson will return to court on June 29.