£38,245.00 confiscation order for retired bank manager

David Hedges, 50 of Church Wynd, Sherburn, Durham, a retired bank manager, purported to be a respectable financial advisor and book-keeper when he was introduced to Mrs Fawcett as the solution to dealing with all financial matters within her expanding successful nursing recruitment firm, Nursing staff Solutions.  He used his expertise to deceive Mrs Fawcett by disguising he had appropriated £918,570.93 of Nursing Staff Solutions funds to support a rich lifestyle and several other companies in which he was involved. He attempted to disguise his criminality by repaying almost £700,000.00 into company accounts, but it was too late and his actions consequently led to both the collapse of the business and to Mrs Fawcett having to declare herself bankrupt.

The investigation conducted by Cleveland Police Economic Crime Unit revealed that Hedges became involved with Nursing Staff Solutions in 2000 when he took on the book keeping and financial affairs of the business allowing Mrs Fawcett to concentrate on the sales and marketing.  Mrs Fawcett trusted Hedges and he became a partner in the business later that year.

Cleveland Police made a referral to The North East Regional Asset Recovery Team to undertake the confiscation investigation.

In August 2008, Hedges admitted 21 counts, valued at £100,000.00 involving theft and dishonest use of cheques, at Teesside Crown Court.  He was sentenced on 19 December 2008 to 2 years imprisonment and at the same time the court declared that Hedges criminal benefit was £231,882.00 and an order in the sum of £38,245.00 was made which will go towards compensating Mrs Fawcett.

Detective Constable Shane Culley from Cleveland Police investigation team is reported in the Evening Chronicle as saying “This man grossly breached a position of trust without a thought for what his actions would do to the victim of his greed.  The jail sentence reflects the despicable offence”

Hedges was described in court as milking the nursing agency as his own “cash cow”, ruining the growing firm’s founder

DCI Steve Waite, Head of the North East Regional Asset Recovery Team said: "This case highlights the effective use of the powers available under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Results like this show the advantages of enlisting the services of the NE RART and working together with a common goal to ensure that those who have clearly benefitted from their criminal conduct have it stripped away from them"