He admitted burgling the container several times
Mohammed Moosbally, aged 54, of Halewood, Merseyside, received a suspended sentence after he stole 60 iPads from a hospital.
Moosbally, a former IT worker at Alder Hey hospital, helped himself to nearly £29,000 of the hospital’s equipment that was meant for sick children and their families.
The father-of-two sold the iPads then spent the cash on cocaine and accommodation after becoming homeless.
On May 26, 2021, Alder Hey took delivery of 100 new iPad, costing a total of £48,000.
The hospital intended to give them to sick children in a scheme set to launch in November 2021.
They were to be loaned to children whose families could not afford IT equipment and used for online consultations with staff.
Derek Jones, prosecuting, said:
“An important consequence of these online consultations would mean the children would miss a lot less school.”
Alder Hey rented a shipping container from Merseyside Police in the secure car park of Eaton Road Police Station.
Using an identity pass, key fob and codes, hospital staff could enter an office there where the keys to the container were held in a safe.
But when hospital IT staff went to the container on November 10, Mr Jones said they discovered “every single one of those 100 iPads was missing”.
Staff used Apple software to send a message to the iPads – appearing on the login screen – saying they belonged to Alder Hey.
A customer who had bought an iPad from CeX contacted the shop, which traced the device back to Moosbally.
He used his own name to sell 40 of the iPads to CeX in St Helens for £200 each.
Moosbally worked for Alder Hey as an IT contractor for 18 months, until June 30, 2021.
On December 23, Moosbally handed himself in to police. He had his NHS identity card in his possession.
He told police he was struggling financially and had a cocaine habit. Moosbally told officers he only stole 60 iPads and had no idea they were destined for sick children.
He admitted burgling the container several times between May and November. Mr Jones said the prosecution didn’t challenge that he only took 60 iPads – of which just 10 were returned to Alder Hey.
Moosbally has one previous conviction for theft by employee in 1997.
Rebecca Smith, defending, said her client did not know that the iPads were for sick children but accepted Alder Hey could use them “in any way they deem appropriate”.
She said Moosbally had PTSD, which led him to take time off work and contributed to the breakdown of his marriage.
When his role at Alder Hey ended, Moosbally started “living on the streets” and was “self-medicating” with cocaine.
He has now moved in with his elderly parents.
Ms Smith said Moosbally had a good relationship with his ex-wife and two sons, aged 15 and 16, who he sees regularly, and they all would be affected if he was jailed.
Ms Smith said his PTSD was brought about by the Hillsborough disaster and it worsened as he was “asked to attend at a number of tribunals and inquests”.
Recorder Mary Prior, QC told Moosbally:
“You’re a father and carer for your parents, who have health difficulties.
“You’re an intelligent man, having obtained A-Levels and further education in computers.
“And during the period of time in May to November last year, you became a thief and a burglar.”
“Whilst I accept you did not know precisely what those items were for, your learned counsel rightly acknowledges you were well aware they were for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, so they would have been required for the assistance of seriously ill children, even if they were not placed directly into those children’s hands.”
The judge said it was “a particularly unpleasant offence”, adding:
“I also accept that for a very significant part of your life you have been subject to trauma and the after-effects of witnessing the horrific disaster at the Hillsborough stadium.
“I accept that you were a young person at that time and that the trauma that you felt and had to cope with has been exacerbated by numerous anniversaries, inquests, other difficulties, and the fact that for a very long period of time, it was not possible for this matter to be laid to rest.”
Moosbally received an 18-month sentence, suspended for two years.
He also received a 30-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and a four-month home curfew, from 8 pm to 8 am daily.
A Proceeds of Crime Application hearing has been set for the summer.
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