NHS chief found guilty of fraud

Trevor Molton was dismissed as WYMAS chief executive in April 2004

The former chief executive and finance director of West Yorkshire's ambulance trust have been jailed for three years for defrauding the NHS out of £250,000.

Trevor Molton, 50, and John Miners, 55, were convicted of conspiracy to defraud at Manchester Crown Court.

Molton, of Pickering, North Yorks, and Miners, of Nailsea, near Bristol, used the money to fund their failing property firm.

A third defendant Paul Buckley, from Leeds, was cleared of the same charge.

'Arrogance and stupidity'

The jury of seven men and five women returned unanimous guilty verdicts on Molton, of Main Street, Pickering, and Miners, of West End, Nailsea.

Jailing them, Judge Anthony Ensor said: "This has been an appalling tale of greed, arrogance and stupidity.

"Greed, because you used your positions in the hope of making substantial secret profits then when it floundered plundered the trust.

"Arrogance because you ignored all the NHS guidance, rode roughshod over your colleagues and forced overseas nurses to sign two-year leases without giving them the opportunity to see where you decreed they should live.

"Stupidity, because this scheme was totally flawed and never stood a cat in hells chance of succeeding."

During a five week trial the court heard the pair used their positions in charge of West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service (WYMAS) to fund a failing business aimed at housing 1,000 Filipino nurses.

They used the money to set up flats and houses, but then pocketed the £500 a month rents for themselves.

Damning report

The charges followed a long-running investigation by the NHS Counter Fraud Service and West Yorkshire Police into allegations of irregularities at WYMAS in 2000 and 2001.

Molton was dismissed as WYMAS chief executive in April 2004 for misconduct unrelated to the investigation.

Mr Miners resigned in 2003 after a damning report into the running of a nursing agency by WYMAS.

Molton, who was paid £98,000-a-year by WYMAS, made £42,500 out of the fraud. Miners, who earned £76,000-a-year, gained £35,700.

The NHS lost at least £250,000 and a further £186,000 of taxpayers' money has been spent on the investigation and trial, the court heard.

Earlier in the trial, charges against Molton's wife, Angela, were dismissed after the judge instructed the jury to return a not guilty verdict.

A further court hearing will be held in October to discuss confiscation and compensation for the trust, taken from Molton and Miner's assets.