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| Doctors' manager stole £100,000 | Doctors' manager stole £100,000 |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The manager of a Carmarthenshire doctors' practice altered cheques to steal £100,000 and lived an extravagant lifestyle, a court has heard. | The manager of a Carmarthenshire doctors' practice altered cheques to steal £100,000 and lived an extravagant lifestyle, a court has heard. |
| Dawn Beynon, 46, from Llandybie, who altered cheques after doctors had signed them, was jailed for 15 months. | |
| Swansea Crown Court heard how she sent two of her children to private school, enjoyed holidays and set up a business. | Swansea Crown Court heard how she sent two of her children to private school, enjoyed holidays and set up a business. |
| Beynon has repaid the cash and admitted 33 theft offences and trying to obtain a mortgage by inflating her income. | Beynon has repaid the cash and admitted 33 theft offences and trying to obtain a mortgage by inflating her income. |
| No-one had noticed the mother-of-three had stolen the £104,107 from the Ammanford surgery over three years. | No-one had noticed the mother-of-three had stolen the £104,107 from the Ammanford surgery over three years. |
| But doctors discovered the money was missing when they received a letter pointing out they were behind on superannuation payments. | But doctors discovered the money was missing when they received a letter pointing out they were behind on superannuation payments. |
| There has been considerable gossip which has caused her shame and disgrace. She feels dreadful Patrick Griffiths, defending | There has been considerable gossip which has caused her shame and disgrace. She feels dreadful Patrick Griffiths, defending |
| Prosecutor Geraint Walters said: "It was news to them. They had placed considerable trust in her." | Prosecutor Geraint Walters said: "It was news to them. They had placed considerable trust in her." |
| Mr Walters said the five doctors at the Margaret Street practice, which looks after 8,000 patients, had allowed Beynon to look after the accounts "while they got on with treating patients." | Mr Walters said the five doctors at the Margaret Street practice, which looks after 8,000 patients, had allowed Beynon to look after the accounts "while they got on with treating patients." |
| She began stealing amounts of around £1,000 by altering the amounts on cheques made out to her, and changing the payees' names on others so she could cash them. | She began stealing amounts of around £1,000 by altering the amounts on cheques made out to her, and changing the payees' names on others so she could cash them. |
| But in August 2006, fearing discovery, she went for one last extravaganza and wrote out a cheque for £13,000, the court heard. | But in August 2006, fearing discovery, she went for one last extravaganza and wrote out a cheque for £13,000, the court heard. |
| Mr Walters said Beynon spent the cash on an extravagant lifestyle, sending two of her children to private school, enjoying lavish holidays and even setting up Beynon Properties Ltd. | Mr Walters said Beynon spent the cash on an extravagant lifestyle, sending two of her children to private school, enjoying lavish holidays and even setting up Beynon Properties Ltd. |
| She bought two houses other than her main home and let them out. | She bought two houses other than her main home and let them out. |
| Mr Walters said Beynon had repaid all the stolen money. | Mr Walters said Beynon had repaid all the stolen money. |
| He said a financial investigation was underway and the prosecution might want to argue that any increase in value represented the proceeds of crime and should be confiscated, he added. | He said a financial investigation was underway and the prosecution might want to argue that any increase in value represented the proceeds of crime and should be confiscated, he added. |
| 'So ashamed' | 'So ashamed' |
| Beynon's barrister, Patrick Griffiths, said she lived in a village "where everyone knows everyone and everyone's business." | Beynon's barrister, Patrick Griffiths, said she lived in a village "where everyone knows everyone and everyone's business." |
| "There has been considerable gossip which has caused her shame and disgrace. She feels dreadful. She took an overdose on Christmas night. | "There has been considerable gossip which has caused her shame and disgrace. She feels dreadful. She took an overdose on Christmas night. |
| "She is so ashamed she asked friends and relatives not to come to court today." he added. | "She is so ashamed she asked friends and relatives not to come to court today." he added. |
| The judge, Mr Recorder Nicholas Gareth Jones, said Beynon had breached the considerable trust placed in her. | |
| Mark Weston of the NHS Counter Fraud Service, Wales, which investigated the case with Dyfed-Powys Police, said: "Today's sentence shows that people who defraud the NHS will be treated very seriously indeed. | |
| "The NHS is most grateful to the police for a thorough investigation which hasresulted in a successful prosecution." |