SHANGHAI: A Shanghai deputy environmental protection official was sentenced for 11 years in jail by a court here on Friday on bribery charges.

Yan Shunjun was also deprived of political rights for two years, and received a fine of 100,000 yuan. He was sentenced by the Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court.

Yan served as deputy head of the city's Environmental Protection Bureau since 1997, and retired from the post in 2008.

Prosecutors told the court that Yan took bribes from contractors when he supervised environmental protection projects. The largest single bribe he took was 400,000 yuan from helping Shanghai Huajing Environmental Engineering Co. Ltd. secure two noise-reduction projects.

Yan told the court: "I was afraid my life would not be as good when I retired as it was when I was working. I could not resist the temptation of the money. "

The court said the sentence was made considering the fact that Yan had admitted his crime and returned all the money.