Ashton Guramatunhu has been sentenced to 40 months in prison for posing as a registered nurse and defrauding nursing homes of over £170,000. Guramatunhu, 46, of Middlepark Road, Dudley, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation.
The court heard that Guramatunhu registered with a nursing agency in Warrington in late 2014. He used the identity of a legitimate registered nurse to secure employment. Between January 1, 2015, and April 5, 2019, he worked at six different nursing homes in the northeast of England, earning an estimated £172,921 through his fraudulent actions.
In January 2019, the real nurse whose identity was stolen was contacted by the Nursing and Midwifery Council regarding an incident at a care home where Guramatunhu had never worked. This prompted the legitimate nurse to notify Cleveland Police, leading to an investigation into the impersonation.
The investigation uncovered that Guramatunhu had been registered to a nursing agency in Warrington, prompting a referral to Cheshire Police in 2020 for further action. His fraudulent scheme was finally exposed, resulting in his arrest.
Detective Constable Naomi Sargent, who led the investigation, spoke after the sentencing. She stated, “Guramatunhu should never have been working as a nurse. While he had been to university, his previous convictions meant that he was not suitable to work in the care sector.”
Sargent emphasized the risk Guramatunhu posed to patients, highlighting that his actions were driven by financial gain. “He put the lives of innocent patients at risk, purely for his own financial gain. I have no doubt that he would have continued his offending had he not been arrested,” she added.
The court’s sentence reflects the severity of Guramatunhu’s actions. Sargent expressed hope that the outcome would serve as a warning to others who might consider similar fraudulent activities in the healthcare sector.
This case underscores the importance of verifying the credentials of healthcare workers to ensure patient safety in care settings. The investigation and subsequent conviction serve as a reminder of the vigilance required to protect vulnerable individuals in nursing homes and other care facilities.
