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A 63-year-old NHS administrator who stole £80,000 from her employer to send to her online boyfriend in Nigeria has been spared a prison sentence. Hyacinth Blair, who worked for the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position after withdrawing the substantial sum over an 18-month period.
Blair, who met the man online, told the court that he had pressured her into sending the money and that she felt "helpless" to refuse. However, Judge Lynn Tayton, KC, dismissed this as the sole reason, stating there was "sustained dishonesty not only explained by pressure or mental health issues." The judge pointed out that Blair's actions necessitated a thorough review of the trust's financial controls and severely undermined public confidence in the system.
The Fraud and Its Aftermath
The court heard that between June 2021 and January 2023, Blair used her position as an administrator to transfer funds from the trust's accounts to a bank account in Nigeria belonging to a man named Michael Okafor. She met Okafor through an online relationship and claimed she had felt compelled to send him the money. The judge noted that the stolen funds were intended for public services and that the fraud caused significant distress among her colleagues.
Despite the serious nature of the crime, Blair received a two-year jail sentence, which was suspended for two years. The judge explained that the decision was based on Blair having no previous convictions and character references speaking positively of her. As part of her sentence, Blair is required to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, 15 days of rehabilitation activity, and undergo six months of mental health treatment. The judge issued a stern warning, stating, "You are fortunate. Be very clear, if you come back before this court you will go to prison."
At the time of the sentencing, Blair was unemployed and on universal credit. To date, there has been no public information on whether the stolen £80,000 has been recovered or if the recipient of the funds, Michael Okafor, has been located or faced any legal action.
