Opticians Suspended for Misusing Company Funds on Sporting Events

Two Specsavers opticians in Scotland have been suspended from their professional duties after misusing more than £35,000 of company funds for personal expenses, including tickets to high-profile sporting events. Emma Foster and George Kelly, who worked at a Specsavers practice in Hamilton, were found to have submitted expenses for premium seats at Six Nations rugby matches, Premier League football games, and Formula 1 hospitality packages.

Between March 2020 and September 2024, Ms. Foster submitted invoices for personal expenses totaling £35,734.77, while Mr. Kelly's amounted to £10,759.39. Among the claimed expenses were £3,595.20 for tickets to the Scotland versus Ireland Six Nations match, £4,770 for the British F1 Grand Prix hospitality, and £1,350 for tickets to a Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City game. The pair also spent £3,300 on attending an NFL game in London.

Further expenses included a substantial sum of £9,722 for 25 hotel double rooms, which were part of amended invoices for team-building sessions. Investigations by Specsavers revealed that Ms. Foster treated the business account funds as her own, spending nearly £5,000 on an F1 hospitality package for the British Grand Prix. The company concluded that their actions constituted gross misconduct.

Following the findings, Specsavers dissolved their partnership. Both individuals have now been suspended by the General Optical Council. Ms. Foster received a 12-month suspension, while Mr. Kelly was suspended for three months. The hearing committee chair, Andy Brennan, stated that large sums of money were claimed as expenses "completely inappropriately and dishonestly," noting that Ms. Foster appeared to have played a more active role in the misconduct.