Hospital worker defrauded NHS of £50,000 with false time sheet claims

[dutchman]

A hospital support worker from Coventry was said to have been driven by her domineering husband to submit false claims for more than 200 shifts she had not worked



And by the time Harbans Dhaliwal’s dishonesty came to light, she had stolen enough to pay a staff nurse’s wages for a year and five months, a judge has heard.

She had originally pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to fraud by repeatedly submitting false claims to the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust.

But after later changing her plea to guilty, Dhaliwal (54) of Cross Road, Foleshill, Coventry, was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for 12 months.

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing was adjourned to a later date after the court heard the hospital is taking civil action against both Dhaliwal and her husband to recover almost £50,000.

Judge Sylvia de Bertodano remarked: “It is extraordinary that it’s so easy for an employee to make such false claims.”

Sentencing Dhaliwal, Judge de Bertodano told her: “Two-and-a-half years ago it became clear that you, for some time, had been claiming for hours you had not worked.

“You had claimed almost £50,000 to which you were not entitled. That money came from the NHS, which is an institution of which British people are rightly proud and very protective.

“It is under threat through policy and through spending crises, so when money is stolen from it, it is a very serious offence indeed.

“But it is quite clear from what I have read that you spent many, many years in an abusive relationship, both physically and emotionally.

“It was your husband who had control of the family finances and of the account into which this money went. I accept you have not benefited personally at all from this offending.

“I have no hesitation in saying you were not the main decision-maker for your family, and I have no difficulty in accepting the basis of plea that you were effectively doing this under direction.”

Deciding against ordering her to do unpaid work, the judge added: “It seems to me that in your particular situation it would be extremely unfair to add to your woes for offending which was clearly not your idea and from which you benefited not at all.”

[rebbonk]

Yet another foolish judge falling for the five card trick

[Melisandre]

My thoughts exactly Rebbonk.