A Fife support worker who defrauded the NHS of more than £2,000 by hiring Enterprise car club vehicles for non-business use has been given a tagging order.
Cerys Dick, who worked with district nurses in the Dunfermline area, claimed she allowed her ex-partner to book the vehicles and was too scared to report it to the health service in case he did something to her.
The 25-year-old, of Kirkcaldy, appeared at the town’s sheriff court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to two fraud charges.
On a number of occasions between May 13 2022 and 27 January 2023 at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, she pretended to employees her hire and use of vehicles was for the purpose of her employment, obtaining the hire of the vehicles to a value of £2,070 by fraud.
On a number of occasions between July 29 2022 and February 28 2023 at New Park Medical Centre, Robertson Road, Dunfermline she pretended to employees expenses claims were genuine and incurred in the course of her employment, fraudulently obtaining £126.26 in reimbursements.
Scam uncovered
Prosecutor Annie MacDonald told the court during the offending period, Dick was a support worker and working with district nurses providing healthcare in the community.
On February 7 2023 the NHS counter fraud service received an allegation she was using the Enterprise car club vehicles for purposes not related to NHS Fife business.
Enterprise has a contract with NHS Fife to supply 29 rental cars which can be used by employees for business purposes and no-one else is permitted to use them.
In order to use the cars, NHS Fife employees must firstly enrol onto the scheme then book cars through the Enterprise website or mobile app by entering a member ID and password.
Irregularities came to light when a car club vehicle was spotted being driven “erratically” in the Glasgow area on Christmas Eve 2022 and it was noted the vehicle had travelled more than 100 miles, an unusually high distance.
When contacted by a manager, Dick said it was booked for her to undertake a bank shift through an agency but it was explained she was only authorised to use the cars for NHS Fife business.
She later admitted by email she had used it for “personal purposes”.
The fiscal said: “Relating to the booking of vehicles, it could only have been the accused who accessed the vehicle or a person the accused had given their details to,”
It was subsequently established cars had been booked and used fraudulently on “multiple occasions”.
Enquiries also confirmed she submitted claims for reimbursements for fuel and travel expenses she had not incurred as she was not on duty.
‘Swept up’
Defence lawyer Isla Angeloni said her client was in a “difficult relationship” with an ex-partner and there was a “domestic element” to it.
The solicitor said her client admits she was aware he was booking the vehicles but was “scared of what her ex would do to her”.
Ms Angeloni said Dick admits she could have taken steps to cancel the bookings.
She said Dick was a victim and was “swept up” in something she would not otherwise have done.
The lawyer said the conviction will impact her client’s ability to gain employment in the future, especially with the NHS.
“It has caused significant distress and caused her to relive traumatic experiences from a previous relationship with an ex-partner,” she said.
Her client, who gets state benefits, indicated an ability to pay towards a compensation order.
Sentencing
Sentencing, Sheriff Charles Lugton said he recognised there are “significant mitigating factors” but noted it was an offence of dishonesty, a misuse of a position of trust and a “loss to scant NHS resources”.
As a direct alternative to custody, he gave Dick a 90-day restriction of liberty order, during which she must stay at home from 7pm to 7am.
The sheriff added: “It would have been longer had you not been a young offender at the time”.
Sheriff Lugton also made a compensation order for £2,196.
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