Council manager stole hundreds of laptops and iPads earmarked for vulnerable people during Covid-19 pandemic

A council manager stole iPads and laptops earmarked to help vulnerable people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bobby Lee Smith, 37, held a managerial position within Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP).

During the pandemic, he oversaw applications for electronic devices to the Connecting Scotland Project, on behalf of the HSCP, to support low-income individuals who had no internet access and were digitally isolated.

As part of this, he was responsible for recording on a spreadsheet the number of devices allocated to various groups including Restart Mental Health Services, Children Services and Parenting Services.

But in an “egregious betrayal of trust” Smith stole 129 Chromebook laptops and 301 iPads with a combined value of £124,644.96.

He was found to have sent some of the devices to his parents’ home as well as his own.

Smith, from East Kilbride, was found guilty of embezzlement by a jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court on 28 July, the Crown Office said.

At the same court on Tuesday, he was made subject of a restriction of liberty order for nine months and a community payback order, and was ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work, the Crown Office added.

Smith’s wrongdoing was uncovered when an investigation by NHS counter fraud officers identified that the devices were missing from the data and could not be accounted for.

Out of 22 organisations who were due to receive the equipment from Glasgow City HSCP, only four matched in terms of what was purportedly issued to them and what was received.

A total of 119 devices were never recovered.

Fraser Gibson, Procurator Fiscal for Glasgow and Strathkelvin, said: “Bobby Lee Smith committed an egregious betrayal of trust.

“He took advantage of his position to embezzle equipment that was set aside to help some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“He showed no regard for the impact his crimes would have on those adults and children who relied on support from Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership.

“This offending involved embezzling a significant amount of public funds. He has now been brought to account for his crimes.

“Embezzlement is not a victimless crime. People who commit such crimes can expect to be held to account by prosecutors and the courts.”