Essex mental health nurse jailed for fraud

A mental health nurse from South Essex has been jailed for nine months for defrauding the NHS of £65,000.

Marion Adewumni, 32, of Fanns Rise, Purfleet, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining bursaries, training and employment from the NHS using a false birth certificate.

Ms Adewumni, who had been working as a mental health nurse for the South Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust, was sentenced on 13 December by Basildon Crown Court.

The court heard that in August 2005 she claimed an NHS student bursary to fund her living expenses while studying for a diploma in mental health nursing at London South Bank University.  At this time, she did not have the required settled status under the Immigration Act 1971.

In her application, she falsely declared she was British, producing a false UK birth certificate. As a result, she was paid a total of £48,240.71 via monthly installments between September 2005 to February 2009.

During this time, payments included childcare costs and covered maternity leave from July 2007 until March 2008. Her tuition fees for student nurses were also funded by the NHS and amounted to £17,328.