Man guilty of NHS pension fraud

Robin Anthony Sweet was caught after the NHS Business Services Authority took part in the National Fraud Initiative to match electronic data between public and private sector bodies to detect fraud.

Checks showed Mr Sweet’s mother, who received an NHS pension as a surviving partner, died in January 2011 but her son, who held power of attorney, continued to receive payments amounting to £27,841 until April 2013.

A Business Services Authority spokesman said: “Our NHS pensions data was compared with Department of Work and Pensions’ information and identified a scheme member who had died some time ago but was still receiving a pension into her bank account.

“The subject was interviewed under caution at Witney Police Station on 11 October 2016, where he denied being dishonest in his actions concerning this matter.

“He maintained that at the time he thought the NHS pension passed to the next of kin following his mother’s death but acknowledged that he had failed to inform NHS pensions in any case that he was the next of kin.”

Mr Sweet pleaded guilty to dishonesty when he appeared at Oxford magistrates court yesterday.

He was released on unconditional bail and will appear at Oxford crown court on 27 July for sentencing.

The spokesman added: “The NHS Business Services Authority will be seeking to recoup the outstanding amount of money involved.”