Could It Be Magic? Trickster’s Son Rescued From Jail

All across Great Britain people are struggling to cope with their debts due to the financial downturn.

Army families are left struggling to survive beneath the breadline and redundancies are sweeping the nation, leaving individuals without an income.

However, it has been revealed that famous people are also sinking in the recession. The famous magician, Paul Daniels has helped his son escape jail, after he admitted stealing £10,000 from the NHS to pay off debts.

Gary Daniels, 40, used his position as a hospital IT boss to mastermind the complex computer scam. He authorised IT work which didn’t need to be done and then paid himself for the jobs with false invoices.

Paul and his wife offered their son a place to stay, after he had to sell his own home in order to pay off mounting debts.

Debts led to drastic measures

The scam began when Gary was left with mortgage arrears and credit card debts of £30,000 following a failed relationship.

Daniel’s was facing a prison sentence, but his father and step-mother both wrote letters to the judge, pleading to give him a second chance.

The Judge, Recorder Andrew Kershaw agreed to suspend the prison term: "Systematic fraud by a trusted manager is so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified.

"However, I bear in mind the unusual circumstances that you were in which led to this crime of yours, and I take into account your unblemished character.

"I have read references from your father and step-mother. And because of your previous good character I am able to suspend the sentence.

He added: "I take into account also your plea of guilty and the efforts you have made to turn your life around and make recompense which involved selling your home, going to live with your father and step-mother."

The con

Gary would commission work through an innocent party and then offer to carry it out himself as a sub-contractor. They would then invoice the hospital and pay Daniel’s, not realising that the work was never done.

The scam was alerted when the hospital noticed that Gary had netted £10,000 and they blocked two further attempts to claim around £8,000.

Daniels’ admitted three theft and fraud charges between July 2006 and December 2007. He was ordered to pay £10,057 compensation to the trust.

His lawyer, Peter Wishlade stated to Teesside Crown Court: "His outgoings far outweighed the salary he had, and he found himself spiralling deeper and deeper into debt.

"He then cooked up this idea which he carried through and, to his credit, the money that was obtained was applied to reduce the <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href="credit">http://www.onlyfinance.com/Credit-Cards/">credit card</a> debts."

He added:"He is utterly ashamed of himself because he feels, quite rightly, that he has brought disgrace upon himself and, indeed, his family."

Daniels’ was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 12 months of supervision.

Alan Stewart, of the NHS anti-fraud team, commented on the act, saying: "Daniels used innocent people and his trusted position to perpetrate these pre-meditated frauds against the NHS."