IN CASH terms the money which John Thurlbeck siphoned-off from a hospital trust over a ten-year period were the proceeds from a crime that could look relatively small in scale when compared to some of the frauds we report in these pages.

And the two-year sentence handed down to the former finance officer is comparatively modest when you consider that our court reporters routinely publish pieces which detail much tougher punishments.

You might then ask why have we given the case such prominence?

Well, some stories touch a nerve. In this instance the fact that he used his position of trust to pilfer NHS funds elevated the story to page one and towards the top of the Echo website where our most important stories appear.

It comes as health services teeter on the brink amid an escalating cash crisis. The message we continue to hear from the Government, health chiefs, patients' groups, unions and staff is that every penny counts. 

The Echo has long used its position as a community newspaper to support the NHS, launch campaigns to improve treatment, and back fund-raising efforts to purchase life-saving equipment, such as the appeal for MRI scanners at Darlington Memorial and Bishop Auckland Hospitals.

For myriad reasons British people love the NHS and respect its workers implicitly. For someone on the inside to abuse their position threatens the bond of trust which connects the service to those it serves.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust deserve credit for the swift and decisive action taken once Thurlbeck’s crimes were detected. This should help to restore confidence.

Our coverage of the case reflects the high standards the public expects of NHS staff and the dismay that is felt when one of them lets us all down.