Woman stole £80k from NHS for 'Nigerian boyfriend' she met online

An administrative worker has narrowly avoided a prison sentence after it was discovered she had pilfered £80,000 of NHS funds for her online boyfriend based in Nigeria. Hyacinth Blair, 63, siphoned off tens of thousands of pounds from the South London and Maudsley NHS trust, where she was employed as an administrator, between June 2021 and January 2023. The money was sent to Nigerian man Michael Okafor, with whom Blair had struck up an online relationship.

Blair, who pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position, was handed a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years, at the Old Bailey in London. This comes on the heels of the NHS issuing warnings about potentially life-threatening diseases signalled by mouth symptoms. Blair is also required to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activity. Furthermore, she must undergo six months of mental health treatment. "You are fortunate," Judge Lynn Tayton, KC, told Blair. "Be very clear, if you come back before this court you will go to prison."

Despite having no previous convictions, Blair's good character references, remorse, and potential for rehabilitation convinced the judge to suspend the sentence. Now reliant on universal credit and battling depression, Blair confessed to probation officers that she felt pressured into taking the cash, although she couldn't explain why.

Judge Tayton noted that Blair's actions could not be solely attributed to her poor mental health and the pressure to send money to her online partner.

The judge said: "There had to be through review of financial controls and there has been an effect of on the council's reputation. Incidents like this undermine confidence in the council's systems.... The consequences of your actions will be felt for long time and the impact on staff and the community was severe."

She added: "In my view, there was sustained dishonesty not only explained by pressure or mental health issues."

Judge Tayton continued: "This involved planning and abuse of trust. But you have no previous convictions and references speak of positive good character. You are remorseful.

"I am sceptical about some of the explanations but you have never been in prison before and there are some prospects of rehabilitation so I am prepared to suspend sentence."