A migrant who fraudulently posed as a female nurse and worked on the A&E ward at the same NHS hospital where Lucy Letby was employed has avoided jail despite undermining safeguarding systems.
Lucius Njoku, 33, used the identity of agency nurse Joyce George to work as a healthcare assistant at the Countess of Chester Hospital, the same NHS site where killer nurse Lucy Letby had worked on the neonatal unit.
The shocking security breach occurred at a hospital already under intense scrutiny, with three former senior managers currently being investigated for gross negligence manslaughter following Letby’s imprisonment for murdering babies.
Colleagues Failed to Spot Male Impersonator
Colleagues failed to spot Njoku despite the fact he was wearing an NHS badge complete with a clear photograph, Chester Magistrates Court was told.
Between February and April, he washed and dressed patients in the hospital and carried out observations whilst pretending to be a female nurse.
Njoku’s deception was only uncovered when a patient confronted him and he blurted out: “My name is Joyce but I am a man.”
The admission exposed the elaborate fraud that had allowed him to bypass crucial safeguarding checks designed to protect vulnerable patients.
Real Nurse Allowed Impersonator to Do Her Shifts
The court heard how Joyce George, a Nigerian national living in Ellesmere Port, obtained a job at the hospital after a successful interview.
She would then allow Njoku to use her name and work her shifts at the hospital in an arrangement that completely undermined NHS security protocols.
It remains unclear where Njoku obtained an NHS uniform to complete his cover, raising further questions about security vulnerabilities at the hospital.
Text Messages Revealed Shift-Swapping Conspiracy
Police raided Joyce’s home, finding Njoku there, and discovered mobile phones belonging to both individuals.
Text messages were recovered from the devices showing the two Nigerian nationals discussing shifts at the Chester hospital, providing clear evidence of their conspiracy.
Both Njoku and Joyce refused to comment during police interviews, declining to explain their fraudulent arrangement.
Real Nurse Fled UK Before Trial
Joyce George fled the UK after she was charged with fraud, and it is believed she returned to Nigeria.
An arrest warrant has been issued for the former agency nurse, though her departure from the country means she is unlikely to face justice in British courts.
Her flight suggests she understood the seriousness of the charges and chose to evade prosecution rather than face the consequences.
Prosecutor Highlights “Serious Concern” Over Access
Lisa McGuire, prosecuting, said: “She permitted Njoku to do her shifts under her name. Fortunately, no harm was done and there were no complaints about Njoku’s work. But it is the access which is the serious concern.”
The prosecutor’s statement emphasises that whilst no patients were directly harmed, the breach of safeguarding systems posed a serious risk to vulnerable individuals.
The fact that Njoku had unrestricted access to patients without proper vetting represents a fundamental failure of hospital security protocols.
“Surprising” Management Failed to Spot Impostor
Njoku, who lives with his NHS worker wife at a different property in Ellesmere Port, admitted a charge of fraud by false representation.
His solicitor Steven Alis said it was “surprising” that Njoku’s presence had “not been picked up by management” given he was clearly male whilst working under a female identity.
Mr Alis said Njoko was a qualified nurse but that “safeguarding checks had not come through” during the period he was working at the hospital, suggesting bureaucratic delays may have contributed to the situation.
Now Working at Vauxhall Factory
Mr Alis added: “He accepted the seriousness of the matter. Since then, he has obtained the appropriate authorisation but has chosen not to work in the care industry. Instead, he now has employment at Vauxhall through an agency.”
Njoko came to the UK as a student and had no prior convictions before this offence.
His wife originally came to the UK as a dependent on his visa, but he is now a dependent on her visa for work purposes.
Deportation Status Unclear
Njoko is a “dependent” on his wife’s work visa, though it remains unclear if he will be deported following his conviction for fraud.
Immigration rules typically allow for deportation of foreign nationals convicted of serious offences, but his dependent status may complicate any removal proceedings.
Suspended Sentence Despite “Undermining the System”
Njoku was handed a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and instructed to pay £239 in costs and surcharge.
A judge also ordered him to complete 80 hours of unpaid work as part of his sentence.
Sentencing on Thursday, District Judge Jack McGarva told Njoku: “You deceived your way into a job which requires safeguarding checks. That undermines the system. Although you were qualified and you did the work without complaint, that is not the point.”
The judge’s comments acknowledge that regardless of Njoku’s nursing qualifications or competent work, the circumvention of safeguarding procedures represents a serious breach that cannot be tolerated.
Further Questions for Countess of Chester Hospital
The case raises profound questions about security and safeguarding procedures at the Countess of Chester Hospital, which is already facing intense scrutiny following the Lucy Letby scandal.
How a male individual was able to work for months under a female identity without being challenged suggests serious failures in basic security protocols.
The fact that colleagues apparently never questioned the discrepancy between the photograph on the NHS badge and the person wearing it indicates a concerning lack of vigilance.
Hospital Under Investigation Following Letby Case
Three former senior managers at the Countess of Chester Hospital are currently being investigated for gross negligence manslaughter following Lucy Letby’s imprisonment for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others.
The Njoku fraud case adds to mounting evidence of systemic failures at the hospital, where safeguarding procedures appear to have been inadequate on multiple levels.
Letby was able to continue working on the neonatal unit despite concerns raised by consultant paediatricians, whilst Njoku was able to work under a false identity for months without detection.
Implications for NHS Security
The case highlights vulnerabilities in NHS agency staff verification procedures that could potentially be exploited by those with malicious intent.
Whilst Njoku appears to have been a qualified nurse who performed his duties competently, the same security gaps could potentially allow unqualified or dangerous individuals to gain access to vulnerable patients.
The ease with which he obtained shifts and evaded detection for months suggests systemic weaknesses in how agency staff are verified and monitored.
As the NHS continues to rely heavily on agency workers to fill staffing gaps, ensuring robust identity verification and safeguarding checks becomes ever more critical to patient safety.
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Image Credit:
Countess of Chester (Hospital) — photo by Dennis Turner, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 (commons.wikimedia.org)
