A FORMER Swansea doctor's practice manager has been jailed after he defrauded the NHS by more than a £90,000.

"Out of control" Jason Johns frittered and gambled away the cash on the horses and online betting sites over a five year period.

As a result the Port Tennant surgery where he worked has been left in debt and unable to afford new medical equipment.

Swansea Crown Court sitting at the Guildhall, heard that 35-year-old Johns, of Fairwood Road, West Cross gave himself a massive 16.4 percent pay rise over one year, when his colleagues received 1.25 per cent.

When suspicions later arose about the state of the practice's finances, Johns suggested his "hardworking and honest" co-workers receive no annual rise.

Paul Hobson, prosecuting, said Johns became manager of the surgery, which serves 6,000 patients, in 2004.

He began stealing from the practice by forging cheques, pocketing petty cash, paying himself overtime he hadn't accrued and awarding himself pay rises.

Mr Hobson said the exact amount of money taken wasn't known, but it was suspected to be over £100,000.

"Certainly from the practice it is in excess of £80,000," he said.

"He also defrauded the Local Health Board to just over £10,000."

Mr Hobson added that Johns' predecessor Kenneth Owens had continued to work at the surgery part-time.

The court heard the pair became friends and Mr Owens mentored Johns in his new role until he fully retired in 2006. It was then that the defrauding escalated.

"He was caught because of mounting concerns over the practice's finances," said Mr Hobson.

Johns had extended the practice's overdraft from £35,000 to £45,000 without consulting any of the GPs, and when questioned he managed to "explain it away".

Mr Hobson said that Johns overpaid himself a total of £25,459, plus £26,844 in overtime.

Between 2008-2009 he claimed 397 hours worth of overtime he hadn't worked.

The court heard in early 2009 when Johns feared he'd be discovered, he made claims to the LHB for funding - getting £10,655 from trust.

Johns pleaded guilty to all fifteen charges of theft, making a false instrument, making false representations and obtaining money by deception. He also asked that a further 67 offences be taken into consideration.

Following his arrest Johns claimed he was trying to fund a gambling habit, which had been sparked due to pressures of his job.

Following the discovery Mr Owens was brought back out of retirement to help sort out the financial mess that Johns had left the practice in.

In a statement Mr Owens later told police he felt "very disappointed and let down" by Johns behaviour.

Janet Gedrych in mitigation said Johns, who has no previous convictions, was deeply remorseful for his actions and wished to apologise.

She said his gambling habit had become out of control, but that he maintained he'd stopped stealing from the practice shortly before his arrest.

Miss Gedrych added that Johns wished to repay the cash, and wanted to marry his girlfriend and settle down in Bournemouth.

Johns was jailed for two-and-a-half-years.