A Braunschweig court sentenced Klaus Volkert, 48, to two years and nine months in prison for his role in arranging illegally, among other things, trips abroad and prostitutes for employee representatives.

The court also convicted ex-manager Klaus-Joachim Gebauer on 40 counts of breach of trust. Gebauer was handed a suspended one-year sentence.

Volkert's attorney had argued that he should be cleared of all 48 counts of breach of trust against him.

Volkert testified that he helped arrange a lucrative contract for his former girlfriend, but denied that he had done anything wrong.

Gebauer had testified that he always acted on behalf of superiors and management, but acknowledged that the indictment against him was "largely accurate."