AN agency social worker who was formerly employed at Suffolk County Council in Adult Social Care has today been sentenced for dishonestly working full-time at the County Council and two other local authorities simultaneously, representing that she had capacity to work for the County Council on a full-time basis.

Beatrice Eduah pleaded guilty to one offence of fraud by abuse of position between June and November 2023. In short, she committed Job contract fraud in that whilst working for SCC she was also being paid to work on multiple dates for other Local Authorities.

The Judge was scathing of her in his sentencing comments and referred to her as a fraudster and a thief. He also made reference to the victims of the fraud namely the Local Authority but more importantly vulnerable adults.

He has deferred sentence until 13 February 2026. In that time, Ms. Eduah must acquire paid work and set any salary aside in a separate bank account with such funds being utilised to repay SCC.

If she is unable to obtain work, then she must bring documentary proof of every role she has applied for and the corresponding rejection letters.

The Judge pointed out that the Court were becoming experienced in defendants who supply false documentation produced via AI and said that independent checks would be made of any documentation supplied to ensure its veracity.

She pleaded guilty on 19 May 2025 at Cambridge Crown Court to one charge of fraud, contrary to Section 4 of the Fraud Act 2006, over the period June 2023 to November 2023; namely dishonestly abusing her position as an agency staff member of Suffolk County Council with the intention of making a gain, by omitting to declare that she was working full-time for two other Local Authorities, representing that she had the capacity to work for SCC full-time basis when she did not.

Concerns were raised by a recruitment agency who contacted the Council in November 2023 to advise that Eduah had a placement with Suffolk County Council and one other local authority, both full time with Eduah submitting timesheets to both authorities for the same hours.

A criminal investigation was launched by the Council's Counter Fraud Service which found that during Eduah's employment at Suffolk County Council, she had also worked full-time for one other local authority, and for a period of three weeks had been employed for full-time work at Suffolk County Council and two other local authorities. Timesheets were submitted by her for each of these roles, which showed that the same hours had been logged across the authorities. Neither authority was aware that she held an additional employment at each authority.

The investigation also found that when Eduah applied for the role with Suffolk County Council, she omitted from her CV the fact that she was already employed full time with two other local authorities.

 In order to facilitate her fraud, Eduah dishonestly communicated with her line manager about the need for unpaid time off from her Suffolk role on five separate occasions when in fact she worked full-time at another local authority during these absences. This included stating that she was abroad due to a family members' death when in fact she was in the UK working for the other local authority.

Speaking after the sentence was handed down,  Suffolk County Council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for Adult Care, said: "Social Workers are key to the successful delivery of Adult Social Care services across our county, we trust them with the care and support of our loved ones, including some of the most vulnerable in our society.

"When that trust is broken, when they behave dishonestly and counter to the ethical standards we rightly expect and demand, it is right they are properly punished by the courts.

"My thanks to the Counter Fraud Service and Legal team at the county counCouncillor Beccy Hopfensperger,cil for pushing this investigation and to the other local authorities who worked with us to get this result."

The value of the fraud loss to SCC was £17,668.53 – this is made up of salary payments and agency fees.