The group were found guilty in April following investigations into the award of lucrative NHS contracts to an Ayrshire–based telecommunications firm, Oricom.
Four men convicted after a £6m corruption and bribery probe at health boards across Scotland have been jailed for a total of 29 years.
The group had been found guilty in April following investigations into the award of lucrative NHS contracts to an Ayrshire – based telecommunications firm.
Adam Sharoudi, 41, and Gavin Brown, 48, ran Oricom Ltd – a firm which effectively began from a garden shed before going on to secure major deals.
But, prosecutors said the contracts for the supply and maintenance of telecoms and video conferencing equipment broke rules on financial wrongdoing in the tendering process.
The Oricom bosses had got the illegal help of Alan Hush, 68, and 60 year-old Gavin Cox.
Hush was the telecommunications manager at NHS Lothian and then NHS Scotland video conferencing manager.
Cox held the post of head of IT and infrastructure at NHS Lanarkshire.
The pair abused their powers as “public servants” to push deals through. One contract alone was worth £3.1m.
In return, Hush got £18,231 of cash bungs and gifts, Cox a total of more than £70,000.
All four men had denied the accusations during a mammoth three-month trial.
The charges spanning between 2010 and 2015 included bribery, corruption, fraud, theft as well as others under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
One stated Sharoudi and Brown did “acquire, use and possess” a total of £5,719,244 of “criminal property” paid by NHS Lothian, NHS Grampian, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as well as NHS Ayrshire and Arran.
The group were back in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow to be sentenced by judge Lord Arthurson today.
Hush was jailed for eight years after being found guilty of nine charges.
Cox was locked up for six years for the two jurors convicted him of.
Sharoudi was also handed an eight year term having been convicted of seven charges.
Brown was jailed for seven years for a total of six.
Lord Arthurson said: “Such is the corrosive effect of corruption upon commercial and public life, individuals such as yourselves should expect to be dealt with robustly by the courts.
“The public should expect their fellow citizens should not seek to subvert public officials in their duties.
“Such officials should note that, succumbing to bribery, will result in the handing down of significant terms.
“The reach and character of the corruption and, in particular, the corrupt relationship engaged by all of you was on a grand scale.”
All four showed little emotion as they were led to the cells. Sharoudi blew a kiss towards family and friends in the packed courtroom.
Oricom was formed in 2008 by trained engineer Brown and colleague David Bailey.
They later set up at offices in Irvine in Ayrshire. Sharoudi went on to join the team also as a director.
Oricom took on more staff and began to build a reputation in the telecoms industry.
This eventually led Oricom getting a number of big health board contracts.
But, in 2015, the Record revealed how its offices were raided – including by investigators from NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services – following concerns into how the deals were secured.
It resulted in the Oricom directors as well as Hush and Cox being arrested and charged.
Bailey was also prosecuted, but charges were dropped against him early in the trial.
The four accused all gave evidence in the case which sat for 65 days – testimony described by the judge today/yesterday as “self serving, arrogant and mendacious”.
Hush, of Leith, Edinburgh, was first. He told jurors he initially became aware of Oricom around 2010.
Married Hush ended up friends with Sharoudi, but denied there was any intimate relationship.
The trial heard of numerous text messages between the men through the years.
These included Hush referring to Sharoudi as “hunk” and him being called him “stud” in return. Hush also declared his love for the Oricom director.
He denied being dependent on Sharoudi for cash.
But, Hush was said to have complained at one stage: “I am keen to get some commission under my belt. I am going on holiday in a month and cannot afford a pot to p*** in”.
