Andrew Taylor, the former locksmith employed by London’s Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, has been sentenced to six years imprisonment for defrauding the NHS of almost £600,000, in the first conviction secured by the NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) since its establishment as a new Special Health Authority last November.
Having heard that he abused his position to defraud his employer of £598,000, the jury unanimously found him guilty of Fraud by Abuse of Position, contrary to sections 1 and 4 of the Fraud Act 2006.
The judge also set a timetable for confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and the NHSCFA will now progress action to recover moneys obtained during the course of his offences.
Andrew Taylor had worked for the Trust since 1998, and had been its permanent locksmith from 2006. In his specialist role he was responsible for sourcing and obtaining a best value quote for locksmith supplies to the NHS body. In March 2007 Surety Security (an incorporated limited company from 2009) began supplying the Trust with locksmith materials. Investigations revealed that the company was, in fact, owned and controlled by Andrew Taylor. The NHSCFA added: “He exploited his position of both purchaser and supplier of security hardware requirements for the Trust over a number of years, charging the NHS extortionate mark-ups of up to 1,200%.
“Enquiries also established that, apart from two very low value jobs, Surety Security had no customer other than Guys and St Thomas’, suggesting the company had been set up and used solely as a vehicle to facilitate the fraud.
After initial enquiries established that the value of the materials Taylor had obtained for the Trust had been billed at a vastly inflated mark-up, he was suspended, but resigned before disciplinary procedures were completed.”
