Ashton Guramatunhu, 46, has been sentenced to 40 months in prison for impersonating a registered nurse and unlawfully working in care homes across northeast England for over four years. Using the identity of a genuine nurse, Guramatunhu registered with an agency in Warrington, Cheshire, and secured positions in six different nursing homes between January 2015 and April 2019.
During this time, he earned an estimated £172,920.94 through his fraudulent activities. His deception was uncovered in January 2019 when the Nursing and Midwifery Council contacted the real nurse concerning an incident at a care home Guramatunhu had never worked at. This led to a police investigation involving both Cleveland and Cheshire Police.
At Liverpool Crown Court on December 2, Guramatunhu pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation. Detective Constable Naomi Sargent, who led the investigation, emphasized the risks posed to vulnerable patients by his actions. She stated, “Guramatunhu should never have been working as a nurse. His previous convictions made him unsuitable for the care sector. He endangered lives purely for financial gain.”
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The court’s sentence reflects the serious nature of his crimes and serves as a warning to others who might consider similar fraud.