Dishonest Nurse Jailed For Employment Scam

A Romford nurse, who concealed a benefit fraud conviction when securing two care home management jobs, was jailed for thirteen months today.

Caroline Anochili, 45, of Hathaway Gardens, who has a degree in mental health, collapsed in the dock at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court (pictured) when told she was going to prison.

She secured a £30,000 p.a. position at Gibson’s Lodge Nursing Home, Streatham, which she held for three years, but lied to the home and the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

Anochili was sacked and arrested, but while on bail lied again to secure a better-paid job with Trees Park East Ham Ltd. of High Street South at their Cherrycroft Care Home.

The prosecution dropped charges that she stole £1900 at Cherrycroft and allegations of theft from vulnerable residents were never fully investigated.

She pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation between August 29 and 31, 2007 by failing to tell Gibson’s Lodge she had a criminal record and telling the CRB she had never been known by any other name.

She similarly pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation on November 10, 2010 by failing to tell Trees Park East Ham she had a criminal record and fraud between March 22 and 27, 2009 by representing she had never been known by any other names.

Prosecutor Mr. Michael Hall told the court Anochili was convicted of four counts of deception at Snaresbrook Crown Court in 2002 in relation to benefit fraud in one of her former names.

She successfully applied for the Gibson’s Lodge management position on August 29, 2007 and was subject to a CRB check.

“On the form she wrote an incorrect date of birth and an incorrect history of her various names, allowing no link to her previous criminal history.”

Anochili was arrested on July 9, 2010, but answered “no comment” and obtained employment with Trees Park East Ham in November by again using a fake date of birth and history of names.

She was arrested again on January 6 and February 24, last year. “She said she was completing the forms honestly as the conviction had been spent.”

Anochili later claimed her motivation was to finance her daughter’s private school education.

Judge Fergus Mitchell told the tearful defendant: “That conviction had to be declared if you were applying for jobs that involved trust and you knew that.

“In a well thought out and organised fraud you obtained employment and when you came before the police as an accused person you seem to have deceived them.

“What is really serious is that while on bail for the first charges you went ahead and did exactly the same thing, falsifying your application for employment.

“The word should go out that those who falsify forms in relation to employment that involves trust will be treated seriously.

“Cynically you went ahead with the same fraudulent procedure at a place where trust is paramount.”