Man jailed for £63,000 NHS theft

A former NHS manager has been jailed for 15 months for stealing more than £63,000 from a Devon healthcare trust.

Walter Hughes, 57, of Aller Park Road, Newton Abbot, was general manager of the post-graduate medical centre at the South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.

He had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to 18 fraud charges over a nine-year period.

He used the money for divorce bills and as "pocket money" for drinks, cigars and petrol, Exeter Crown Court heard.

You knew what you were doing Judge Jeremy Griggs

Prosecutor Andrew Oldland said Hughes, employed in the NHS since 1987, used his position of trust to steal money between 1993 and 2002.

Hughes helped himself to more than £58,000 in takings from the centre's dining room, which he should have paid into its accounts.

In 2000, Hughes was issued with a credit card by the Trust to buy items for the centre and was told it was not for personal use, but started to do "just that", said Mr Oldland.

Hughes used the card to buy photographic and computer equipment, as well as kitchen goods.

The total amount the card was used for was £5,379. Hughes asked for 55 offences to be taken into consideration in connection with the card.

Stealing 'easy'

After investigations began into the use of the credit card, Hughes resigned the day before he was to attend an internal inquiry.

Mr Oldland said he made "comprehensive admissions" to the police and told investigators that stealing was "too easy".

Fraudsters like Walter Hughes hinder the improvements we are seeing in the health service, by lining their pockets Jim Gee, CFSMS

Jonathan Barnes, defending, said it was "absolutely astonishing" for so much to "tot up" over nearly a decade without anyone noticing.

He said Hughes had signed over his NHS pension to help repay the sum.

Judge Jeremy Griggs said: "You knew what you were doing. You were unable to resist temptation."

When the dining fraud was not discovered, Hughes went on to use the credit card, said the judge.

Judge Griggs said there should be in place suitable systems to prevent fraud.

The South West NHS Counter Fraud Service (CFSMS), which carried out the investigation, said the matter had only been uncovered in 2002 - after nine years of fraud - because the centre where Hughes worked came under the control of the South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.

Jim Gee, CFSMS chief executive, said: "Fraud in the NHS is not a victimless crime.

"Fraudsters like Walter Hughes hinder the improvements we are seeing in the health service, by lining their pockets with money meant to benefit future medical care.

"This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated."