NHS hospital failed to spot more than £200,000 had been stolen from parking meters

An NHS hospital making millions from car parking fees failed to spot more than £200,000 had been stolen from pay machines in seven months, a court heard.

Security guard Peter O'Garro, 52, enlisted his wife and three colleagues to repeatedly emptied the meters, filling suitcases and tool boxes at his home with the cash.

University Hospital of South Manchester Trust only discovered the huge loss when a university student employed by the firm blew the whistle after being asked to join in with the scam. O'Garro, from Middleton, Manchester, was assigned by private security firm Noonan Services Group to guard and empty Wythenshawe Hospital's six parking pay stations.

Along with his three colleagues, Stephen Seddon, Christopher Hughes and Shahid Nadeem, he stole £207,412 over seven months from July 2015 to February 2016. O'Garro and his wife Karen, 48, who works as a hospice nurse in Rochdale, spent the stolen funds on an extravagant lifestyle, buying a quad bike, jewellery and high-end electronics.

The scam was only exposed when Firas Armosh, a Manchester University PhD student employed by the firm on a temporary contract, blew the whistle on the operation after witnessing the deception.

After being given training on how boxes containing cash were to be removed and passed on to hospital staff, Mr Armosh realised his colleagues were stealing.

In October 2015, Mr Armosh spotted a large amount of cash in the glove box of a security van being driven by O'Garro.
When challenged, O'Garro told the student the money was, "for all of us. Ten weeks for us, one week for you".

He invited his colleague in on the scam, but Mr Armosh refused and informed his employers when his contract came to an end. The judge praised Mr Armosh as an "honest man" who had faced "veiled threats" from the defendants when they realised he was aware of their criminality.

Manchester Crown Court heard how the hospital had records of how much money was paid into the machines, which later helped prosecutors bring the men to justice.

The court heard how, after a 'test run' went undetected, O'Garro and his team 'dramatically increased' the amount of money they stole, stealing £39,198 in one month alone.

The hospital declined to comment when asked by The Daily Telegraph why it was unable to identify the thefts.

Officers arrested O'Garro and two of his colleagues at the hospital and upon raiding their homes found suitcases, large bottles and tool boxes filled with coins.

A drawstring bag in O'Garro's Mini Cooper car was found to contain £1,168.82 while Mrs O'Garro had deposited £15,996.45 into four bank accounts in her name.

According to a Freedom of Information request in 2014, University Hospital of South Manchester Trust, which manages Wythenshawe Hospital, made more than £2,077,066 from its four car parks, which charge fees of up to £10 a day.

Nick Smith, the hospital's Assistant Director of Finance, said that O'Garro had stole money that could have been used to pay for nurses or medical equipment.
"This money could have been used to fund six qualified nurses for a full year or the purchase of major medical equipment or life-saving drugs," he said. "This crime is ultimately taking money from the NHS, but it should also be pointed out that the theft is of money charged to members of the public, both patients and visitors, using the hospital."

O'Garro admitted theft and was jailed for three years and his wife admitted possession of criminal property and was given an eight month suspended sentence.

Seddon, 31, was jailed for 30 months while Hughes, 53, received a 27-month sentence. Nadeem, 39, was imprisoned for two years. Seddon's wife Elizabeth, 32 was given eight months jail suspended for two years while Hughes' partner

Marie McGovern, 51, was given a two year community order for helping to launder the funds.

Judge Hilary Manley told the men: "Your selfish actions came at a time when it is common knowledge that the NHS is struggling. To steal from it, many would say, is an unforgiveable crime."