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The mother of two terminally ill children has pled guilty to defrauding NHS Fife of £38,019, according to the BBC.
Kathleen Duncan was charged in connection with claims she made for taxi journeys to and from hospital between 1st August 2010 and 29th August 2011.
Two of Duncan’s children suffer from a rare genetic condition that means they require regular treatment in hospital.
One of the children received a bone marrow transplant in July 2010 and following that the children did not have to attend hospital as frequently as before. However, Duncan apparently continued to make claims for regular journeys that were never taken. She submitted false taxi receipts, and also reportedly falsified the signatures of NHS staff to sustain her claims.
The sheriff deferred sentence until background reports could be obtained and Duncan has been released on bail in the meantime.
Fraud occurs when a person makes a pretence that they know to be false, with the intention of deceiving the victim into acting in a manner in which he would not otherwise have acted.
As this case shows, there are many different types of fraud and some are extremely complex. Often, the evidence to be considered can date back many years. If you have been accused of fraud, it’s important to swiftly enlist the help of established and recognised criminal defence lawyers.
If you have been charged with an offence, including fraud offences, and would like to speak to a criminal defence lawyer, give us a call on 01383 730466 (Dunfermline) or 01592 640680 (Kirkcaldy) or contact us online here.
