Optician admits 'Robin Hood' con

Cardiff Crown Court has heard how an optician tricked the NHS 800 times in order to provide needy children with free glasses.

Gwyn Evans, 46, from Bridgend, south Wales is accused of wrongly claiming more than £23,000 in health service fees.

He made some money out of this... Robin Hood only gave to the poor

Judge Michael Gibbon

Mr Evans, who runs a practice in the town centre, insisted that the majority of the work had been to give "deprived" children an extra pair of glasses.

He admitted 41 offences of deception and asked for another 765 offences to be taken into consideration.

Huw Evans, defending, said: "Under NHS rules, children are only allowed to have a pair of glasses.

"Mr Evans has been providing children with another spare pair.

There is a good reason for each and every one of them from an optometrist's point of view

Huw Evans, defending

"Many of the children he dealt with had special needs - children who would break their glasses almost daily," he added.

"Mr Evans accepts they should not have been made.

"But there is a good reason for each and every one of them from an optometrist's point of view."

Judge Michael Gibbon dismissed the excuses put forward by the defence.

He said: "He made some money out of this. Robin Hood only gave to the poor."

The court heard that Evans, from Wyndham Street in Bridgend had obtained around £23,000 from the NHS but that he had also repaid £25,000.

The judge was told the defendant had given patients above what they were entitled to under NHS regulations and then claimed money back for the treatment.

Discrepancies

Prosecutor Richard Evans told the court the deception was exposed after an audit revealed discrepancies within Mr Evans's NHS claims.

Mr Richard Evans said that two audits by the Iechyd Morgannwg Health Authority found "substantial discrepancies."

He said: "What he has claimed for had not been provided or what had been provided was outside the regulations."

Judge Gibbon adjourned sentencing until 2 November while reports are prepared.