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| Doctor and husband jailed for selling stolen hospital PPE on eBay | Doctor and husband jailed for selling stolen hospital PPE on eBay |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Omer and Attiya Sheikh made almost £8,000 from selling the equipment | Omer and Attiya Sheikh made almost £8,000 from selling the equipment |
| An NHS doctor and her husband have been jailed for 10 months each after selling stolen hospital PPE on eBay during the Covid pandemic. | An NHS doctor and her husband have been jailed for 10 months each after selling stolen hospital PPE on eBay during the Covid pandemic. |
| Dr Attiya Sheikh, 46, and 48-year-old Omer Sheikh made almost £8,000 from selling the personal protective equipment as the virus was spreading throughout the UK in 2020. | |
| The pair admitted selling stolen gloves, face masks and wipes online at a time when the NHS was struggling to get hold of them. | The pair admitted selling stolen gloves, face masks and wipes online at a time when the NHS was struggling to get hold of them. |
| Sheriff Sukhwinder Gill said the doctor had committed an "egregious breach of trust" while working at Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride. | Sheriff Sukhwinder Gill said the doctor had committed an "egregious breach of trust" while working at Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride. |
| The couple were exposed after NHS Scotland supplier Fannin spotted its products for sale on the acution website. | The couple were exposed after NHS Scotland supplier Fannin spotted its products for sale on the acution website. |
| Attiya Sheikh's lawyer, John Scullion KC, told Paisley Sheriff Court that his client bitterly regretted her actions. | Attiya Sheikh's lawyer, John Scullion KC, told Paisley Sheriff Court that his client bitterly regretted her actions. |
| He said: "She accepts full responsibility. She acknowledges the significant breach of trust the offence represents." | He said: "She accepts full responsibility. She acknowledges the significant breach of trust the offence represents." |
| Some of the gloves discovered in the attic of the house where Dr Attiya Sheikh and her husband lived | Some of the gloves discovered in the attic of the house where Dr Attiya Sheikh and her husband lived |
| The court heard that in July 2020, NHS Scotland counter fraud services began looking into the potential theft and resale of PPE. | The court heard that in July 2020, NHS Scotland counter fraud services began looking into the potential theft and resale of PPE. |
| The investigation identified four separate eBay accounts selling items such as gloves and wipes that were connected to the Sheikhs. | The investigation identified four separate eBay accounts selling items such as gloves and wipes that were connected to the Sheikhs. |
| A warrant was granted to search their home in Thornliebank near Glasgow. | A warrant was granted to search their home in Thornliebank near Glasgow. |
| On the day of the search in October 2020, Mr Sheikh was in the house. | On the day of the search in October 2020, Mr Sheikh was in the house. |
| He directed the counter fraud specialists to the attic within the top floor flat where 121 boxes of rubber gloves were discovered, as well as a box of face masks. | He directed the counter fraud specialists to the attic within the top floor flat where 121 boxes of rubber gloves were discovered, as well as a box of face masks. |
| Detectives found that the couple had been selling them online for £15 to £20 a box. | Detectives found that the couple had been selling them online for £15 to £20 a box. |
| Attiya Sheikh initially claimed she did not steal the PPE from the hospital but was given it by another person from the hospital in the car park. | Attiya Sheikh initially claimed she did not steal the PPE from the hospital but was given it by another person from the hospital in the car park. |
| However, inquiries failed to identify that person. | However, inquiries failed to identify that person. |
| Dr Sheikh claimed someone from Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride gave her the PPE equipment in the hospital car park | Dr Sheikh claimed someone from Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride gave her the PPE equipment in the hospital car park |
| Sentencing the pair, Sheriff Gill said they carried out their crime when "the world was in a heightened state of fear and anxiety" at the start of the pandemic. | Sentencing the pair, Sheriff Gill said they carried out their crime when "the world was in a heightened state of fear and anxiety" at the start of the pandemic. |
| She said: "The NHS was facing an unprecedented crisis. There was a severe shortage of PPE not only in this country but globally. | She said: "The NHS was facing an unprecedented crisis. There was a severe shortage of PPE not only in this country but globally. |
| "As a doctor you clearly knew this PPE was essential for your colleagues' safety and by extension their families. | "As a doctor you clearly knew this PPE was essential for your colleagues' safety and by extension their families. |
| "It is difficult for those of us who work day in day out within these courts to imagine a more egregious breach of trust not only in respect of your colleagues but of the general public." | "It is difficult for those of us who work day in day out within these courts to imagine a more egregious breach of trust not only in respect of your colleagues but of the general public." |
| The maximum sentence was open to the judge was 12 months in jail. | The maximum sentence was open to the judge was 12 months in jail. |
| This was reduced to 10 months because of the couple's early guilty plea. | This was reduced to 10 months because of the couple's early guilty plea. |
| Profit from fears | Profit from fears |
| Gordon Young, head of NHS Scotland counter fraud services, described the crime as "outrageous". | Gordon Young, head of NHS Scotland counter fraud services, described the crime as "outrageous". |
| He told BBC Scotland News: "To make a profit out of people's fears and to make a profit out of a shortage of equipment that was really needed, it really is the opposite message to what the NHS stands for." | He told BBC Scotland News: "To make a profit out of people's fears and to make a profit out of a shortage of equipment that was really needed, it really is the opposite message to what the NHS stands for." |
| He said that in monetary values, it was not the biggest fraud he had seen, but said it was an immoral one. | He said that in monetary values, it was not the biggest fraud he had seen, but said it was an immoral one. |
| "This isn't about the loss of the money," he said. | "This isn't about the loss of the money," he said. |
| "This is about someone in her position taking advantage of the health service and making a profit from it." | "This is about someone in her position taking advantage of the health service and making a profit from it." |