Leeds Crown Court hears friends 'plotted £3m NHS fraud'

A group of friends plotted a multi-million-pound fraud against the NHS, a court has heard.

Huw and Jaqualine Grove, Daniel Benton, Terry Dixon, and Lisa and Wayne Hill are said to have cheated Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and NHS England out of £3m.

Prosecutors say the group conned the NHS after being given work by NHS employee Neil Wood, 41, from Leeds.

All six, who are on trial at Leeds Crown Court, deny any wrongdoing.

The jury heard that while Mr Wood, who is not involved in the trial, worked for the Leeds and York NHS Trust before moving to NHS England he outsourced work to Huw and Jaqualine Grove's company, The Learning Grove.

Prosecutor Craig Hassall said The Learning Grove would then negotiate discounts with companies before submitting inflated invoices to the NHS.

He said almost half of all the money paid to The Learning Grove was transferred to another company, whose sole director was Mr Wood's wife Lisa.

The court was told Mr Wood paid Mr Dixon, 46, an £18,000 "administration fee" for work that was not carried out.

Mr Wood is also said to have offered Mr Benton £200 to provide an invoice charging the NHS £20,000 for work that had not been carried out and then transfer the money to Mr Wood.

However, the court heard Mr Benton declined the offer.

Mr Hassall said that Lisa Hill, an actress, agreed to appear in training videos by The Learning Grove for the NHS and was paid a lump sum of about £40,000 for six DVDs.

When the Hills heard that the Woods had been arrested, they sought advice from their accountant who advised leaving the money in Lisa Hill's business account, Mr Hassall said.

But some of the money was transferred into a personal bank account and spent, the court heard.

The trial continues.