Council officer found guilty of fraud after begin caught sprinting on sick leave (From Croydon Guardian)

Council officer found guilty of fraud after begin caught sprinting on sick leave

11:02am Wednesday 1st September 2010 in

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A council finance officer filmed sprinting at Croydon athletics track while signed off work with a back injury has been found guilty of fraud.

Matthew Thomas competed in national athletics contests and took money to coach youths in the art of sprinting, despite telling his employers he was unable to work after falling off a ladder.

The East Ham resident received almost £14,000 in full pay while signed off work for seven months, before resigning his job at Newham Council in June 2008.

But a jury at Inner London Crown Court was shown video footage of the 34-year-old sprinting at Croydon athletics track in April 2008, Crystal Palace in May 2008 and coaching young athletes in a scheme set up by the Metropolitan Police.

Thomas told his employers he found it difficult to perform everyday tasks due to his back injury, but the court heard he took part in major athletics competitions in Birmingham and Surrey in early 2008.

He was found guilty of seven charges of dishonestly making false representation at Inner London Crown Court yesterday, and will be sentenced on September 31.

Councillor Ian Corbett, Newham Council’s executive member for the environment said: “Matthew Thomas systematically abused his in depth knowledge of the system to line his own pockets.

“We employed him in good faith and he abused that trust.”

A former St Lucia athlete, Thomas competed in the 100m at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne a year before his accident.

The court heard he had competed in the national contests while signed off sick to receive free physiotherapy sessions after the races, despite telling bosses his injury meant he could not sit down for long periods.

Thomas was also found not guilty of one charge of dishonestly failing to disclose information, and three other charges of dishonestly making false respresentation.