FORMER Bristol chief executive Nick de Scossa has received the longest international match tickets ban – five years – ever handed out by the Rugby Football Union.

De Scossa, of Bristol club Old Redcliffians, pleaded guilty to "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the union or the game by contravening the 2008 RBS Six Nations ticket terms and conditions".

He is banned from applying to purchase, purchasing or otherwise obtaining international match tickets from any member club or the RFU for five years from October 16, 2008 to October 15, 2013. The final two years of the order are suspended.

The RFU became suspicious when their ticket office received an envelope addressed to a Mr J de la Hey, which did not contain a sufficient address but had "Sender RFU, Twickenham, Middlesex" on the back.

The envelope contained four match tickets for the England-Wales fixture, which had been allocated to Old Reds, as well as a letter purporting to be from the RFU ticket manager to De Scossa and a copy of a RFU notice concerning the safety of tickets which is normally enclosed with tickets for away internationals.

The union ruled that the first letter was false.

An RFU statement said: "Holding oneself out to be influential in the RFU in this way is a serious breach of RFU Rule 5.12. It is certainly more serious than the breaches of ticket terms and conditions and would normally merit suspension or expulsion from membership.

"We considered this course very seriously, but were persuaded – just – that his long association with, and good work for, Old Redcliffians RFC saves him from such a punishment."

In response, Old Reds chairman Ray Massey said on behalf of the club: "The club have never knowingly sold tickets to any person other than club members and associated members – Mr De Scossa is a long-standing club member and former player.

"We believe Mr De Scossa has acted with nothing more than being over-zealous when implying his position within the RFU and has never intended any harm to the club or the good name of rugby union.

"We would like to remind the rugby fraternity of the hard work and commitment he has put into the game both at our level and at Bristol."