NHS fraud sentence
A NHS chief executive formerly from Runcorn has walked free from court after admitting paying her husband more than £11,000 from her budget.
Paula Vasco-Knight, 53, was in charge of South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and the national lead for equalities and diversity for NHS England at the time.
She paid her husband, Stephen Vasco-Knight, £11,072 to produce a document named Transform, meant to improve leadership qualities in chief executives.
Exeter Crown Court heard the 200-page document was never made and Mrs VascoKnight failed to declare any interest in her 46-year-old husband’s graphic design company.
The couple, of Green Lane, Stoneycroft, previously of The Seasons, Runcorn, went on trial in January accused of fraud but changed their pleas partway through.
The sentencing was adjourned until today.
Mrs Vasco-Knight admitted abusing her ● position as chief executive at the trust by authorising an £11,072 payment to her husband for the Transform document.
Her husband also pleaded guilty to fraud by submitting a false invoice to the trust for the document in November 2013.
NHS senior manager Habib Naqvi, 39, was found not guilty of two charges of encouraging or assisting Mrs VascoKnight after the prosecution offered no evidence against him.