Health bosses who used the names of rock stars U2 to steal more than £700,000 in public money from the NHS are jailed for 14 years
- Mark Evill and Robert Howells used U2 names as cover to abuse their positions
- They lined their pockets with more than £707,947.24 of public money from NHS
- Ringleader Evill, 47, splashed out on Dubai holidays, property, watches and cars
Robert Howells, pictured outside Merthyr Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to fraud
Three shamed health managers were today jailed for 14 years for using fake names of rock stars U2 to fiddle more than £700,00 public money from the NHS.
Mark Evill and Robert Howells used the names of U2 frontmen as cover to abuse their managerial NHS positions in Powys, mid-Wales, and to line their pockets with more than £707,947.24 of health cash.
The pair paid bogus invoices for building work by Paul Hewson – the real name of singer Bono – and to David Evans, also known as guitarist The Edge from the Irish rock band.
Ringleader Evill, 47, splashed out his stolen NHS cash on Dubai holidays, property, watches and cars.
Evill set up a company called George Morgan Limited named after his dog to pay the fake invoices from the Powys Teaching Health Board where he was project manager.
Prosecutor Christopher Rees said he signed off payments to company staff in the ‘fictitious name of Paul Hewson a.k.a Bono of U2’.
Mr Rees said: ‘This was the vehicle used by Evill for the fraud. It was a company set up for that purpose.’
The jury at Merthyr Crown Court were also told of a fraudulent quote for building work at Brecon Hospital signed by David Evans.
Mr Rees said: ‘This is the alias of the U2 guitarist known as The Edge.
‘It is a mark of the blatant, brazen and provocative dishonesty of Mark Evill that he chose to use the names of members of U2 to further this fraud.’
Ringleader Mark Evill, 47, splashed out his stolen NHS cash on Dubai holidays, property, watches and cars
Michael Cope, 43, was bribed by Evill to comply with the fraud. Cope, from Merthyr Tydfil, denied fraud but was found guilty.
Evill, from Shirenewton in Chepstow, used letter heads of bonafide firms to provide the health board with fake quotes.
Michael Cope, 43, was bribed by Evill to comply with the fraud. He denied fraud but was found guilty
Co-defendant and fellow project manager Robert Howells, 65, pleaded guilty to fraud after he was accused of endorsing the George Morgan Ltd bids for work despite knowing Evill was secretly its sole director.
Mr Rees said: ‘Howells played a vital role in facilitating the fraud and he allowed himself to be bribed to allow Evill to continue his actions.’
Evill even bought Howells a Ford Focus worth more than £10,000 for his part in the fraud.
Mr Rees added: ‘The car was clearly part of Howell’s payment for Evill’s fraudulent activity.’
At his police interview, Evill denied fraudulent activity and claimed it was ‘common knowledge’ that ‘George Morgan was his company’.
A court heard much of the work carried out on the contracts awarded to George Morgan Ltd were completed to a ‘very poor standard’.
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A chartered surveyor was drafted in by the health board to examine the work – he concluded that rectifying the work to standard would cost the NHS £1.4 million.
Evill, 42, initially denied three counts of transferring criminal property, fraud and perverting the course of justice, but changed his pleas on the second day of his trial on Thursday.
Evill was jailed for seven years, Howells for four and Cope for three at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.
The pair paid bogus invoices for building work by Paul Hewson – the real name of singer Bono – and to David Evans, also known as guitarist The Edge from the Irish rock band (pictured on stage)
Judge Peter Heywood said: ‘The NHS is there for all, from cradle to grave. Evill, you recruited Howells and Cope into this despicable fraud on the health service.
‘You incorporated a shell company, George Morgan Limited. You were the sole director and sole share holder. You indicated in interview that George Morgan was the name of your dog.
‘You set up that company to divert money to yourself. You had the gall to make up false names such as David Evans – better known as Bono, the lead singer of U2.
‘Howells, I have no doubt that you knew from the outset that George Morgan was a complete sham.
‘Cope, you behaved in a lamentable way because I have no doubt that you were bought by Evill to to take part in this fraud. I have no doubt that you were fully aware of the situation.
Nigel Fryer, defending, said: ‘Evill behaved in a way that was out of character and he thought he was going to get away with it.
‘When in the hole he didn’t know when to stop digging and that shows the state of his mind at the time. This was utter desperation.
Juliette Simms, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said later: ‘Mark Evill took hundreds of thousands of pounds from this public body out of his own greed, using his colleagues to ensure his business received lucrative contracts for work.
‘Evill used the money he made in the fraud to buy land and properties in Wales, taking two luxury holidays to Dubai, buying a Chanel watch, a £5,000 Breitling watch and numerous cars including a Land Rover and an Audi.
‘Other defendants originally claimed they did not know about Evill’s involvement with the company but the CPS proved Howells was complicit in the fraud and Evill had bought him a Ford Focus worth almost £11,000 for his efforts.’
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