A Zimbabwean man who posed as a registered nurse, treating vulnerable patients while hiding a criminal past, has been jailed for over three years after a sophisticated fraud that netted him more than £170,000.
Ashton Guramatunhu, 46, of Dudley, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, where the full extent of his four-year deception was revealed.
The court heard that in late 2014, Guramatunhu stole the identity of a genuine registered nurse, Christmas Musaruwa. Using this stolen ID, he registered with a nursing agency in Warrington.
Despite having previous convictions that barred him from the care sector—including perverting the course of justice—he managed to secure work at six different nursing homes across the North East of England between 2015 and 2019.
Locations he worked at included:
? Chesterholme in Hexham
? Oaklands in Hexham
? Thornfield Grange in Bishop Auckland
? Hope House in Hartlepool
The Money
While posing as a qualified professional, Guramatunhu worked shifts where he was often the only "nurse" on duty, responsible for administering medication and injections.
During this time, the agency was paid £172,920.94 for his services, with Guramatunhu personally pocketing £145,052 in wages.
The Escape & Arrest
The fraud began to unravel in January 2019 following a complaint about Guramatunhu’s use of restraint on a patient. When the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) contacted the real nurse regarding the incident, the victim was horrified to discover his identity had been used.
As the investigation launched, Guramatunhu fled the UK to Zambia. However, his run from the law ended in February 2020. He was arrested by Border Force officials at Heathrow Airport upon his return, after claiming he had "lost his travel documents."
"Lives at Risk"
Sentencing him to 40 months in prison, the judge noted that while Guramatunhu was competent in his duties, he had "no right" to be there.
Detective Constable Naomi Sargent of Cheshire Police issued a stark statement following the sentencing:
"Guramatunhu should never have been working as a nurse... He put the lives of innocent patients at risk, purely for his own financial gain, and I have no doubt that he would have continued his offending had he not been arrested."
The real nurse whose identity was stolen was forced to spend significant time and money to clear his name and professional reputation. - Zimbo LIVE London
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