A CORRUPT civil servant whose greed cost East Lancashire hundreds of jobs could be forced to return his ill-gotten-gains - or face prison for the second time.

Gordon Foxley served two years for accepting £1.5 million in bribes which diverted ammunition orders from Blackburn's Royal Ordnance Factory to foreign companies.

The money, which is believed to bein Swiss bank accounts, has never been repaid despite vigorous campaigning by East Lancashire MPs.

But the Lancashire Evening Telegraph can reveal today that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) now wants to call in a receiver to recoup the missing money.

The receiver will be empowered to seize property and goods owned by Foxley up to the value of the "stolen" cash.

If the receiver cannot raise enough funds through the sale of Foxley's assets - which includes his £750,000 mansion - magistrates could try to commit the 71-year-old to prison for default of payment.

The evidence of the latest twist in the Foxley saga is contained in a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Barbara Mills, to Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson.

When Foxley was jailed in May 1994, a confiscation order was made against him to the sum of £1.5m. He was given 18 months to pay, but the letter from Mrs Mills claims he has since failed to return the cash.

The CPS believes it is appropriate to apply to the High Court for the appointment of a receiver to make sure Foxley "does not benefit from the proceeds of his crime."

The application will be heard in private on Thursday.

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