Hyacinth Blair, 63, withdrew £80,000 from an NHS trust to send to a Nigerian man she met online. Despite ‘sustained dishonesty,’ she avoided jail due to her remorse and clean record.
A 63-year-old NHS administrator, Hyacinth Blair, has been given a suspended jail sentence after stealing £80,000 from the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust to send to her Nigerian online boyfriend, Michael Okafor.
Blair, who admitted fraud by abuse of position, withdrew the funds between June 2021 and January 2023 while working at the trust. At the Old Bailey, Judge Lynn Tayton KC handed her a two-year suspended sentence, citing her remorse, good character references, and depression as mitigating factors.
“You are fortunate,” Judge Tayton warned. “Be very clear—if you return to court, you will go to prison.” Blair must also complete 250 hours of unpaid work, 15 rehabilitation days, and six months of mental health treatment.
The court heard Blair, now on Universal Credit, claimed she felt “pressured” to send money but could not explain her actions. The judge noted the theft involved “planning and abuse of trust”, damaging the NHS’s reputation.
“This was sustained dishonesty not just due to mental health,” Tayton said. “The consequences will be felt for a long time.”