At the High Court in Glasgow, four individuals – Alan Hush, Gavin Brown, Adam Sharoudi, and Gavin Cox – were found guilty in a corruption and bribery case that involved health boards throughout Scotland. Oricom Ltd, founded by Sharoudi and Brown, was awarded contracts for telecoms and video conferencing equipment between 2010 and 2017, breaching financial wrongdoing rules during the tendering process. The company received “commercially sensitive information” from former NHS employees, Hush and Cox, who received £88,000 in cash and gifts in exchange.
The court heard that Sahroudi and Brown possessed a total of £5,719,244 of “criminal property” paid by various NHS boards. One contract alone was valued at £3.1m. Brown founded Oricom in Irvine in 2008, with David Bailey as a colleague. Sharoudi joined the company as a director and developed a friendship with Hush, who worked in the telecommunications department at NHS Lothian and NHS Scotland as a video conferencing manager. Oricom’s offices were raided in 2015, leading to the arrest and charging of the directors along with Hush and Cox.
Hush, described as “the big cheese” in the NHS telecoms department, did not initiate a proper tendering process for the work Oricom secured. He was accused of participating in a “deception” to obtain false quotes for the firm. Cox, head of IT and infrastructure at NHS Lanarkshire, was alleged to have provided Oricom with a “heads up” to secure business advantage. Hush received various perks, including Eurostar train tickets, hotel stays, electronics, meals, and concert tickets, in exchange for aiding Oricom in securing contracts.
In total, Hush received £18,231 in cash and gifts, while Cox was given over £70,000. Brown was also connected to another NHS Lanarkshire official who received inducements from Oricom. The four individuals were found guilty of multiple charges, with the jury deliberating for eight days following a three-month trial. Lord Arthurson, presiding over the case, emphasized that corruption is a “cancer in public life” and warned the defendants to expect significant custodial sentences. Sentencing is scheduled for June 5 in Edinburgh, with additional hearings under the Proceeds of Crime Act
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
