After his ex-girlfriend tried to sell him to his bosses by selling him to his bosses, a hospital security officer was caught pretending a slip accident in a NHS-related compensation scam.

Rhys Williams, 30 years old, devised a plan to create an accident at Basildon University Hospital in Essex. He had been working there for 12 years.

The veteran guard searched for water leaking from the ceiling onto soggy cardboard in the hospital and decided it was the ideal location for a fake accident.

He made sure that there was no CCTV so that nobody could demand photographic evidence of his mishap. He reported it to the hospital in November 2019.

Williams called his supervisors the day following the alleged spillage and claimed that he had slipped on a piece cardboard left in the changing area the previous day.

He claimed he had injured his elbow and needed three months off work to heal. He claimed he was depressed and couldn’t do any housework or play with his children at home because he was unable to do the housework.

But just after the NHS had offered to pay out £5,100 compensation, bosses received a message from his ex-girlfriend, Ashleigh Barker, lifting the lid on his scam.

The father-of-two is now behind bars after a judge found that he was in contempt of court. He was jailed for seven months.

Security guard Rhys Williams, 30, (above) was jailed for contempt of court after his ex-girlfriend foiled his fraudulent compensation scam against his employer, the NHS

 Security guard Rhys Williams, 30, (above) was jailed for contempt of court after his ex-girlfriend foiled his fraudulent compensation scam against his employer, the NHS

Judge Anne Whyte, QC stated that a deterrent’ sentence was required in such a serious situation.

The court heard Mr Williams had been struggling to make ends meet at the time as he tried to clear a £10,000 debt and the scam was prompted by desperation, not greed.

After conjuring up the accident, he filed a lawsuit against the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust that runs the hospital.

He claimed that the accident had caused him to suffer mental and physical injuries as well as a disruption in his relationship with his ex-girlfriend.

However, the judge said that Miss Barker came forward with the information to the hospital’s security chiefs that revealed his lies.

The judge stated that Mr Williams had spoken to her about his plans to create an accident.

She added that he also sent her texts about this incident on the day of the accident.

“He referred to the possibility to make a claim in the texts because he was aware that cardboard boxes were used to cover leaks.

Faced with the evidence Mr Williams admitted he had planned to stage an accident in order to ‘fraudulently attempt to get compensation’, she continued.

He claimed Miss Barker was fully complicit’ in his scheme, but she said she ‘felt incapable to stop him from pursuing this claim’.

Mr Williams cooked up an elaborate plan to stage a fake slip accident at Basildon University Hospital, Essex, (pictured) where he had worked for 12 years

Mr Williams devised an elaborate plan to fake a slip accident at Basildon University Hospital (pictured), where he had worked for 12+ years.

Judge Whyte ruled that Mr Williams was guilty in a clear contempt for court when he tried to file a fake damages claim against NHS. He deserved a harsh ‘deterrent” sentence.

She told the court that he continued to make dishonest claims starting November 22, 2019.

“He only stopped pursuing his claim when confronted incriminating text.

“It is important to remember that Mr Williams admitted that if Ms Barker hadn’t disclosed her information to the NHS Trust, he would have received and retained the compensation.

The lawyers for Mr Williams asked for a light sentence or suspended sentence due to his admissions, and his wretched situation. However, the judge said that she had no choice but jail him.

“Having reviewed the facts of this case, I have come to the conclusion that I regret that the court failed in its duty to provide deterrence if it didn’t impose an immediate sentence of custodial.” she said.

She acknowledged that Williams’ family would be shocked to learn that Williams had a good name and was in prison.

The NHS Trust which brought the case against Mr Williams had its bid for him to pay its £13,543 legal costs bill rejected by the judge.