INVERNESS SHERIFF COURT: Support worker ripped off college for work not carried out
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A SUPPORT worker defrauded a specialist college for young adults with special needs of more than £1600 by failing to carry out work for which he had invoiced.
Daniel Balfour, of Ord Terrace, Invergordon, had started his own business and got work with Cantraybridge College in Croy between November 8, 2019 and November 23, 1019.
But Inverness Sheriff Court was told that Balfour failed to carry out his 10 hours a week required duties of helping a service user with tasks including shopping and cleaning.
Despite this Balfour still submitted invoices for the time involved until a check was made on the service user’s property and it was discovered that no cleaning had been done.
Balfour admitted a charge of fraudulently obtaining a total of £1672.75p from the organisation.
When charged, Balfour told police he was signed off sick.
Defence solicitor Patrick O’Dea said his client’s career in the care industry was over and he was suffering “emotionally and financially.”
He added: “It was a new venture for him. He knows he has let down the service user and he would wish to repay this money.
“But he will struggle at the moment. He is seeking new employment.”
Sheriff Neil Kinnear said he was considering a fine and compensation but deferred sentence on the 32-year-old until November 10, for a background report.
