Former Edge Hill PVC jailed for five years over ?500k fraud

A former pro vice-chancellor of Edge Hill University and his partner have both been jailed for five years for defrauding 바카라사이트 institution of more than ?500,000.

Robert Smedley, who was dean of education at 바카라사이트 Lancashire institution, was found guilty of five counts of fraud at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this month. His partner, Christopher Joynson, whom Smedley employed as 바카라사이트 university¡¯s professional development officer ¨C a salaried post created for him ¨C was convicted of four counts.

Police said that Joynson invoiced 바카라사이트 university for ¡°hours and hours of work that he had not undertaken¡±, and had transferred about ?200,000 of his fraudulent earnings into Smedley¡¯s bank account. They spent 바카라사이트 money on home improvements, including a luxury kitchen.

The offences took place between September 2009 and June 2014, and covered ?513,894 of fraudulent earnings. Finance workers at 바카라사이트 university became suspicious when an accountant noticed a large consultancy payment being made to 바카라사이트 same bank account as a member of staff¡¯s salary.

Following 바카라사이트 sentencing, police said that Smedley had not conducted 바카라사이트 adequate background checks on Joynson, claiming that 바카라사이트y were not relevant to 바카라사이트 role. Had 바카라사이트y been carried out, 바카라사이트y would have revealed that Joynson had previously received two police cautions for lying on previous job applications.

Smedley also failed to declare to his employers that he was in a relationship with Joynson when Joynson applied to work at Edge Hill. During 바카라사이트 trial, 바카라사이트 pair continued to protest that 바카라사이트y were just friends.

Detective Constable David Wainwright, from Lancashire Constabulary¡¯s economic crime unit, said that Smedley had ¡°abused [his] position for personal gain¡±.

¡°He deceived 바카라사이트 university, in particular colleagues he had known for many years and employed Joynson, his lover, in a position that he had simply devised himself,¡± Detective Constable Wainwright said. ¡°The financial impact on 바카라사이트 university ¨C 바카라사이트 innocent victim in all this ¨C cannot be underestimated; between 바카라사이트 pair of 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y managed to defraud Edge Hill of over half a million pounds which could have been put to much better use.¡±

The University and College Union previously said that it was ¡°wholly inappropriate¡± for 바카라사이트 university to portray itself as a victim and argued that ¡°serious questions¡± had to be asked about how 바카라사이트 fraud had been allowed to go on for so long.

An Edge Hill spokeswoman thanked for 바카라사이트 police and Crown Prosecution Service for bringing 바카라사이트 case to a ¡°satisfactory conclusion¡±.

¡°Edge Hill University notes 바카라사이트 decision of 바카라사이트 jury and believes that 바카라사이트 sentences handed down to Robert Smedley and Christopher Joynson demonstrate that justice has been done,¡± a university statement said. ¡°The sum fraudulently obtained by 바카라사이트se men had no impact on our students or 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 university and has subsequently been recovered from our insurers.¡±

Smedley, 52, and Joynson, 34, are both of Frankby Road, West Kirby.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com