A woman who stole more than £155,000 from a medical practice while having an affair with one of the doctors is facing jail.
Jacqueline Rodger, 55, had a secret relationship with Dr Iain Hathorn while employed as practice manager at the Greenhills Medical Practice in East Kilbride.
The pair had been having regular trysts since 2011 but the affair ended when Rodger got married. But the relationship was revealed after an investigation was launched into cash problems at the practice.
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The probe led to a confession from Hathorn who admitted being in a 'proper sexual affair' with Rodger.
She later claimed she had been forced into the relationship however a police investigation dismissed her allegations.
After the affair became public, Rodger, who claimed to have taken the money due to stress, told Hathorn by text message: "Iain, it's Jacqueline. It was me that did it. I'm so sorry, so ashamed. You're all such lovely people."
A message sent to another doctor at the surgery said: "I am so sorry and ashamed of what I have done. You were all so good to me, I deserve everything that's coming my way."
The investigation showed Rodger, who had worked at the centre since 2008, had been moving money to her own account disguised as dozens of bogus payments to locum doctors and office supply firms.
Rodger, of East Kilbride, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court where she admitted embezzling £155,012.71 between April 2014 and February 2018. She had originally been accused of pocketing £224,375.39 but prosecutors accepted her guilty plea to the lesser amount.
The court was told the medical centre was forced to close after the money was stolen.
Depute fiscal Jennifer Cunningham told the court how Hathorn was removed from the fraud investigation after he admitted his affair with the prime suspect.
She said: "In February 2018, a partner meeting took place at the medical practice where Dr Hathorn stated he had been having an affair with the accused.
"Dr Hathorn stated he was ashamed but insisted he had nothing to do with the missing money.
"Dr Hathorn explained the affair started in 2011 and described himself and the accused as being engaged in a 'proper sexual affair' that ended once she got married.
"It was then agreed that Dr Hathorn should have no further part of any disciplinary proceedings involving the accused."
The prosecutor added: "As a result of this investigation and the actions of the accused, the Greenhills partners decided to cease their contract with the NHS and, as of 31st October 2018, Greenhills Medical Practice ceased to exist.
"Many of the doctors within Greenhills had been part of the practice for over 20 years.
"The accused embezzled money from the practice directly into her own bank accounts. These payments appeared in the Greenhills account under the guise of locum payments and the purchase of office equipment."
Rodger has also launched civil proceedings against the medical practice for unfair dismissal and sexual harassment.
Sheriff Martin Jones KC deferred sentence on first offender Rodger until next month for reports and continued her bail.
NHS Lanarkshire were approached from comment.
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