Case studies

New case studies and general information appear quarterly in the Fraud Matters newsletter on staffnet.

Case study one

Samantha Howitt worked as a health care support worker for Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust through agencies based at Southampton General Hospital and in Southampton city. She was imprisoned for systematically defrauding the Trust of thousands of pounds. Over a period of almost three years Samantha Howitt submitted over 100 timesheets containing information about work that she claimed to have undertaken, generating an income for herself in excess of £16,000. In reality the information was false. The extent of her dishonesty was only discovered after the local counter fraud specialist (LCFS) was asked to investigate. Samantha Howitt already had a conviction for similar offences and consequently was sentenced to 18 months in prison after admitting 17 offences with another 88 taken into consideration.

Case study two

£5,094 was was defrauded from the NHS by a health care support worker. Roger Gibbens worked as a health care support worker for Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust through an agency. A senior manager at the Trust identified that a number of shifts which had been claimed had not been booked through the agency and that the authorising signatories were not known employees. The LCFS was asked to investigate and interviewed Mr Gibbens at a police station following his arrest and a search of his house, during which further evidence was found. Roger Gibbens was prosecuted after he admitted 12 offences of false accounting over a period of 11 months and asked for another 32 offences to be taken into consideration by the court. He was sentenced to a 60 hour community punishment order and was ordered to pay £300 in compensation with an additional £150 to cover costs.

Case study three

A member of housekeeping staff was dismissed from their post (based on evidence gathered by the LCFS) after a disciplinary hearing found that the employee had attempted to deceive Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust. The fraud specialist investigated claims that the employee had been absent from work due to sickness, but had actually been working elsewhere instead of working their normal shifts. This meant that the employee had received pay from the Trust as well as from another employer. The member of housekeeping staff was interviewed at a local police station and admitted the deception. The admissions which were made in interview were sufficient to prove the offence of obtaining property by deception and rendered the matter suitable for prosecution. However, the LCFS determined that the necessary criteria had been met to offer the subject a formal adult (simple) caution which is designed to deal quickly and simply with less serious offences.