A thief who stole more than £155,000 from the medical practice where she worked while having a romance with one of the physicians may now be sentenced to prison.
Jacqueline Rodger, 55, was having an affair with Dr. Iain Hathorn while working as the practice manager at Greenhills Medical Practice in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire.
Since 2011, the couple enjoyed an intimate relationship, however the affair ended when Rodger got married.
However, their hidden relationship was exposed when an investigation was initiated following the practice’s financial difficulties.
This morning at Scotland’s Hamilton Sheriff Court, Rodger, who had worked at the center since 2008, admitted to embezzling £155,012.71 between April 2014 and February 2018.
The court was informed that the medical center was forced to close after the money was stolen and the Greenhills partners terminated their NHS contract.
Hathorn was obligated to reveal his hidden relationship with Rodger as a result of the initial investigation into cash flow issues at the practice. He admitted to having a “decent sexual affair” with Rodger.
Rodger later claimed she was coerced into the connection, but a police inquiry quickly disproved her claims.
When the affair became public, the 55-year-old woman who claimed to have taken the money due to stress contacted her former secret lover.
She texted Hathorn, “Iain, this is Jacqueline.” I was the one who did it. I am truly sorry and ashamed. You are all such nice individuals.
55-year-old Jacqueline Rodger admitted stealing more than £155,000 from the medical practice where she worked while having an affair with one of the doctors.
Rodger came before the Hamilton Sheriff Court in Scotland and admitted to transferring the funds to her own account between April 2014 and February 2018.
In the meantime, a note to another doctor at the practice said, “I am so guilty and ashamed of what I have done.” You’ve been so kind to me that I deserve anything that comes my way.
Rodger had transferred funds to her own account under the pretense of fraudulent payments to temporary doctors and office supply companies.
She was initially charged with stealing £224,375.39, but prosecutors accepted her guilty plea for a reduced amount.
Deputy fiscal Jennifer Cunningham explained to the court how Hathorn was removed from the fraud probe after he admitted to having an affair with the main suspect.
She added, “In February of 2018, a partner meeting was held at the medical practice during which Dr. Hathorn disclosed he was having an affair with the defendant.”
“Dr. Hathorn expressed regret but asserted that he had nothing to do with the lost funds.
“Dr. Hathorn explained that the affair began in 2011 and that he and the accuser engaged in a “normal sexual affair” that terminated when she got married.
It was therefore decided that Dr. Hathorn would no longer participate in any disciplinary processes involving the defendant.
The prosecution continued, “As a result of this inquiry and the acts of the defendants, the Greenhills partners chose to terminate their contract with the NHS, and Greenhills Medical Practice ceased to exist on October 31, 2018.
‘Numerous Greenhills physicians had been a part of the practice for over two decades.
“The accused diverted funds from the practice into her own bank accounts.”
These money surfaced in the Greenhills account under the pretense of locum tenens payments and office equipment purchases.
Additionally, Rodger has initiated civil procedures against the medical practice for wrongful termination and sexual harassment.
Sheriff Martin Jones KC postponed the sentencing of Rodger, a first-time offender, to next month for report purposes and continued her bail.
The NHS Lanarkshire website indicates that Dr. Iain Hathorn just retired after a 38-year career.
MailOnline made contact with NHS Lanarkshire for comment