A migrant pulled off a daring fraud by pretending to be a female nurse and working on the A&E ward at the same NHS hospital where infamous baby killer Lucy Letby was employed. But shockingly, Lucius Njoku, 33, escaped jail despite tearing apart vital safeguarding systems.
Faked Female Identity at Countess of Chester Hospital
Njoku used the identity of agency nurse Joyce George to sneak into the Countess of Chester Hospital, the very site of Letby’s notorious crimes on the neonatal unit. Wearing an NHS badge with a clear photo, the male impersonator managed to fool colleagues for months.
- From February to April, Njoku dressed and washed patients, carried out observations – all while pretending to be Joyce.
- The deception was blown open only when confronted by a patient, he admitted, “My name is Joyce but I am a man.”
This stunning admission revealed how easily he bypassed crucial NHS safeguarding checks designed to protect vulnerable patients.
Real Nurse Let Fraudster Work Her Shifts, Then Fled UK
In a shocking betrayal, the real Joyce George, a Nigerian national, secured a job at the hospital and shamelessly let Njoku use her name and shifts. Police uncovered phone text messages exposing their shift-swapping conspiracy.
- Joyce fled the UK after fraud charges and is believed to have returned to Nigeria.
- An arrest warrant has been issued, but she is unlikely to face justice on British soil.
Prosecutor Lisa McGuire said: “She permitted Njoku to do her shifts under her name. Fortunately, no harm was done, but the access is the serious concern.”
Dodgy Hospital Security and Suspended Sentence
Njoku, who lives with his NHS worker wife in Ellesmere Port, admitted fraud by false representation. His lawyer called it “surprising” hospital bosses never spotted a clearly male nurse working undercover as a female.
Despite this fraud, the 33-year-old avoided jail. Judge Jack McGarva handed down a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. Njoku was also ordered to pay costs and complete 80 hours of unpaid work.
“You deceived your way into a job which requires safeguarding checks. That undermines the system. Although you were qualified and did the work without complaint, that is not the point.” – District Judge Jack McGarva
Further questions now loom over Countess of Chester Hospital’s security after Njoku’s scam and the ongoing investigations following Lucy Letby’s offences. How did a man work months as a female nurse without anyone questioning the obvious difference?
Warning Signs for NHS Security
This episode exposes gaping holes in NHS staffing checks. While Njoku was qualified and competent, the same cracks could let dangerous impostors slip in. As the NHS leans on agency staff, it’s vital patient safety is not compromised.
With three hospital managers already probed for gross negligence manslaughter linked to Letby’s crimes, the Njoku fraud adds another blow to this beleaguered hospital’s reputation.
