A former Specsavers director from Merthyr Tydfil, accused of defrauding Bro Taf Health Authority of £56,000, told a court his staff wanted to see him knocked off his pedestal.
Giving evidence at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, Roger King claimed that the only reason his former employees would accuse him of being part of the scam was because it was the workers against the boss, according to a report in the South Wales Echo (November 14).
King has denied the allegation of bullying staff into making false NHS claims between January and July 2003 when in charge of the branch. Three former staff have already admitted the fraud charge.
When asked by barrister Dafydd Enoch why 10 of his staff were 'queuing up to deal him down', King responded that 'they were all in it together'.
King, who now lives mostly in Spain, told the court he knew nothing of the fraud until auditors revealed that hundreds of patients' files contained evidence of fraudulent voucher claims. He denied bullying and intimidation and said he had trusted his staff.
Summing up the prosecution case, Enoch said that King was the instigator and asked the jury not to let King pull the wool over their eyes.
The case continues.