The District Court has jailed Jockey Club honorary voting member John Hung two years for soliciting and accepting $450,000 over a club membership application. He has been ordered to pay the club restitution of $350,000.

Hung, 70, a company director, was found guilty of one count of an agent soliciting an advantage and three of an agent accepting an advantage.

In October 2006 a middleman told the defendant a woman, already a racing member of the club, wanted to become a full member.

She transferred $800,000 into the middleman's bank account. After withdrawing $500,000 from his bank account, the middleman deposited $250,000 into the defendant's account upon his request for a $200,000 loan in return for supporting the membership application.

On October 31 the defendant wrote to the club, enclosing an application form filled out by the woman for full membership. On the form he signed as a "proposer" recommending she be a full member. In the letter he requested the club expedite processing the application.

A month later the middleman deposited $100,000 into the defendant's bank account. On December 1, 2006, the middleman met the defendant in a hotel and gave him an envelope containing $50,000 in cash and a $50,000 cheque.

After leaving the hotel the defendant was arrested by Independent Commission Against Corruption officers.