A British health officer who stole £80,000 to send to her online boyfriend in Nigeria has been handed a two-year jail sentence.

Hyacinth Blair, 63, worked as an administrator for South London and Maudsley NHS trust. Between June 2021 and January 2023, she withdrew £80,000 from the trust’s accounts.

Blair sent the money to a man in Nigeria named Michael Okafor, with whom she had entered an online relationship.

She said he pressured her to send the money and she felt “helpless.”

Judge Lynn Tayton KC, gave Blair a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years, after she admitted fraud by abuse of position.

The judge said the funds were intended for public services and Blair’s actions caused distress amongst her colleagues.

She said: “There had to be thorough review of financial controls and....incidents like this undermine confidence in the council’s systems.

“The consequences of your actions will be felt for long time and the impact on staff and the community was severe.”

‘Sustained dishonesty’

Judge Tayton said Blair had first told probation officers she “had no idea” why she had taken the money, but then said she believed she was “in an online relationship with a man in Nigeria who demanded money.”

She added: “You said you felt pressure to give this money. You told the officer you felt concerned about taking money from your employer but felt helpless.

“In my view there was sustained dishonesty not only explained by pressure or mental health issues.”

The judge said Blair has suffered from depression and is now unemployed and on universal credit.

She suspended Blair’s sentence because there were “no previous convictions” and “references speak of positive good character”.

Blair must complete 250 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activity, and is required to undergo six months of mental health treatment.

The judge said: “You are fortunate. Be very clear, if you come back before this court you will go to prison.” (Adapted from a report by The Telegraph UK)