GP practice finance manager jailed after £450,000 fraud

A finance manager has been jailed for three years and two months after she defrauded the GP practice she was working at of over £450,000.

Thames Valley Police said that between February 2021 and November 2024, Lauren Millington was working as a finance manager for The Waterfield Practice in Bracknell, when she ‘fraudulently diverted more than £450,000 from the GP practice’.

The police launched an investigation when the practice reported concerns about irregular payments that ‘appeared to have been made to external medical suppliers’.

Officers discovered that the legitimate banking details of several companies had been ‘deliberately altered’, causing payments to be redirected to personal accounts controlled by Millington.

The force said that between 1 April 2021 and 15 November 2024, over £456,666.44 was diverted from the practice.

The police identified that several bank accounts used belonged to Millington, with a further account belonging to an accomplice, Roger Happe. They were both arrested on 15 January 2025 and charged on 4 December 2025.

Millington, 43, of St Mary’s Road, Hook, Hampshire, pleaded guilty on 7 January this year to two counts of fraud by abuse of position, and one count of concealing/disguising/converting/transferring/removing criminal property. She was sentenced to a total of three years and two months at Reading Crown Court last week.

Happe, 44, of Alexander Road, Egham, Surrey, had obtained criminal property totalling £25,190.57 and pleaded guilty on 3 February this year to one count of acquire/use/possess criminal property.

He was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and 100 hours of community service.

In a statement, the practice said: ‘Waterfield practice, our patients and our staff are all victims in a case of a betrayal by a former colleague who was in a position of trust.

‘We would like to thank our staff who uncovered the fraud and Thames Valley Police and Crown Prosecution Service for their support in bringing about the successful convictions.

‘We hope the sentencing brings closure to these matters and we ask that the media respect the privacy of our patients and staff as we focus on our responsibility of delivery healthcare services to local people.’

Detective Constable Jagdip Sekhon, of the Volume Fraud Team in Berkshire, said: ‘This was a calculated and sustained fraud in which Lauren Millington abused positions of trust to divert substantial sums of money for personal gain.

‘Her actions were sophisticated and pre‑meditated, involving the manipulation of company systems, the creation of fake invoices, and the use of personal bank accounts to conceal her activity over several years, with her accomplice Roger Happe, who assisted in receiving and concealing £25,190.57 in funds.

‘The fraud significantly impacted the company, leaving it short to provide essential support to the community it serves.

‘Thames Valley Police was able to uncover the full extent of the offending and bring both individuals before the courts.

‘This case highlights that fraud is not a victimless crime and demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who exploit trust for financial gain and ensuring they are brought to justice.’

Detective Inspector Duncan Wynn, head of the Central Fraud Unit, said: ‘I am pleased with this conviction, which comes after Millington and Happe pled guilty following a thorough and extensive investigation by officers from the Berkshire Fraud team.

‘The sentence reflects the severity of the offences whereby Millington systematically abused her position to defraud her employer of significant funds, leaving a huge whole in much needed public finances. Millington, against her unsuspecting employer in two separate periods of employment when entrusted with their finances, abused the trust placed in her for her own gain and caused great harm to the practice.

‘I hope that the length of sentence imposed will act as a deterrent to others and demonstrate our commitment to pursue fraudsters and bring them to justice on behalf of victims.’