Jacqueline Robertson pleaded guilty to stealing the cash from medics working at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.
Jacqueline Robertson outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court(Image: Alexander Lawrie)
An NHS manager embezzled thousands of pounds from doctors while working at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh to feed her “out of control” gambling habit.
Jacqueline Robertson stole more than £8,000 from the medics who had handed over cash to stay overnight at the capital hospital over an 11 month period.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the 59-year-old cleaning manager had been embezzling the cash while spending up to £100 per day on a gambling addiction.
Jacqueline Robertson outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court(Image: Alexander Lawrie)
Robertson pleaded guilty to embezzling £8,630 while working at the capital’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children between January 1 and November 12, 2018 when she appeared at the city’s sheriff court today, Monday, October 27.
Fiscal depute Peter Finnon told the court Robertson was employed as the domestic supervisor at the hospital and was responsible for taking payments from doctors who were staying overnight on the premises.
Mr Finnon said: “The process for that was doctors would meet Ms Robertson in person usually at the end of the month and pay for the night spent in cash.
“It was Ms Robertson’s responsibility to take the cash to the office to be processed.
“There was no residency payments made to NHS Lothian through that period.
“The figure covers a number of doctors who resided at the hospital at that time.”
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The prosecutor said the scam was eventually uncovered and Robertson had “ candidly accepted the nature of what she did” when being questioned by police officers.
Solicitor James McMacken said his client had worked for the NHS for seven years and had been employed as a cleaner before being promoted to assistant manager of the department.
The lawyer said Robertson was “extremely remorseful for her conduct in this matter” and has “expressed deep regret to find herself here”.
Mr McMacken said: “Shortly before the start date of the offence Ms Robertson had started using an app on her phone for gambling.
“She had no previous history of gambling but it quickly got out of control and she was spending up to £100 per day.”
The lawyer said Robertson, of Stenhouse, Edinburgh, then found herself “in a deep financial hole” and began taking the cash she had been handed to by the doctors.
He added: “That is something she feels terrible about.”
Sheriff Gillian Sharp said: “Although you have no previous convictions these are very, very serious charges indeed.
“In order to sentence you I will have to call for a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty order assessment.”
Sentence was deferred to next month.