Preedy case goes to appeal

A GOC inquiry over the fitness to practise of dispensing optician Ronald Preedy, convicted in March 2007 of ‘swindling’ more than £80,000 from healthcare trusts, has been adjourned pending the outcome of an appeal.

Preedy was given a nine-month suspended sentence (Optician May 4 2007), but despite pleading guilty to nine counts of obtaining money by deception he has decided to contest the decision with the Court of Appeal.

Preedy was found to have defrauded healthcare trusts in Bromley, Worthing, Croydon, East Surrey, Canterbury, Kingston, Lambeth, Merton and North Surrey.

Jamas Hodivala, counsel for Preedy, applied for the hearing of the fitness to practise committee to be adjourned on the grounds that an appeal against the conviction was lodged on Preedy’s behalf. Hodivala submitted that the committee should not proceed in circumstances where the validity of the conviction was still in doubt. He also drew attention to the difficulty Preedy would have in giving evidence to the committee in his defence.