Russell Ghool worked at Dartford's Darent Valley Hospital

by Keith Hunt

A nurse who conned his way into a well-paid position at a hospital by submitting forged references has been spared jail.

Russell Ghool left his previous employment at a London hospital under a confidential agreement after being suspended.

He then applied to Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust for a post as a neo-natal charge nurse at Darent Valley Hospital offering a salary of more than £45,000, plus overtime.

Sarah Read, prosecuting, told Maidstone Crown Court the 45-year-old father’s interview was successful, but the two referees he provided were not senior enough.

He then provided the names of two other referees - Regina Jesudass and Beena Yeldo - who both held senior positions at Homerton University Hospital in Hackney, east London, where he had previously worked in the neo-natal unit.

"he is ashamed of what he did. he is no longer a man of good character. it has affected his work prospects significantly." …” – emma gargitter, defending

The references, bearing the unit's stamp, were considered to be satisfactory.

Ghool was then offered the position, starting in August 2010.

But Miss Read said it was revealed in December last year that he had not declared his suspension at Homerton on his application form or mentioned it at his interview.

Investigations revealed the references had not been written by the named referees.

While Ghool was under suspension again, forensic handwriting tests showed one of the letters had been written by him. The other was penned by his now ex-wife, who was cautioned.

When arrested, he gave a no-comment interview and refused to provide handwriting samples.

The prosecutor said Ghool, who admitted fraud, received a gross salary of £67,552 over about a year. Compensation was claimed in the sum of £46,840.

Ghool, of Eglington Road, Woolwich, was sentenced to nine months' jail - suspended for a year - with 200 hours' unpaid work.

Passing sentence, Judge Richard Polden said the offence was fraudulent from the outset and Ghool had embroiled his wife in it.

Russell Ghool was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court

Emma Gargitter, defending, said Ghool had been suspended from Homerton Hospital after a "run-in" with his manager. There was a compromise agreement.

She added Ghool had worked as a nurse for 20 years with an unblemished record and had been a valued member of the community.

"He feels a significant amount of remorse," added Miss Gargitter. "He is ashamed of what he did. He is no longer a man of good character. It has affected his work prospects significantly."

Peter Tucker, counter fraud officer of NHS Protect, said afterwards: "This sends a message to both staff and the public that fraud will not be tolerated in the NHS.

"This would have gone undetected had it not been for the diligence of staff members."

A Darent Valley Hospital spokesman said: "Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust take cases of fraud extremely seriously and ensure extensive measures are in place to detect it.

"We fully support the NHS Protect prosecution and are pleased that the attentiveness of our staff identified it in this case."