A 33-year-old Nigerian man, Lucius Njoku, has been handed a suspended prison sentence in the United Kingdom after impersonating a female nurse to work in a National Health Service (NHS) hospital.
Njoku fraudulently used the identity of his female friend, Joyce George, to secure work as a healthcare assistant at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Cheshire, where he completed multiple shifts over a two-month period.
Despite wearing George’s NHS name badge – which featured her photograph – Njoku successfully passed himself off as a female staff member until a patient questioned his identity.
According to The Telegraph UK, the confrontation prompted Njoku to admit, “My name is Joyce – but I am a man.” Hospital officials subsequently reviewed CCTV footage, confirming that he had worked several shifts under the false identity.
Investigations revealed that George, 32, also a Nigerian national, had been employed through an agency but allowed Njoku to take her shifts between February and April 2024. Police later raided George’s residence, where they found Njoku. Phones seized from both suspects contained messages discussing work arrangements.
At Chester Magistrates’ Court, Njoku pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation. He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, ordered to perform 80 hours of unpaid work, and pay £239 in costs and surcharges.
It remains unclear whether he will face deportation, as he is listed as a dependant on his wife’s NHS work visa.
George, who has since fled the UK, is believed to have returned to Nigeria. Authorities have issued a warrant for her arrest.
Prosecutor Lisa McGuire told the court that George “allowed this to happen and agreed to it,” adding that both initially gave “no comment” responses during police interviews.
Njoku’s solicitor, Steven Alis, said his client, who came to the UK as a student, took the job due to financial hardship. “There was an issue of finance and whilst they were being sorted out he obtained work,” he said. “It is perhaps surprising that management did not detect it earlier.”
District Judge Jack McGarva condemned the deception, noting it undermined public trust in the NHS safeguarding system.
“You deceived your way into a job that requires safeguarding checks,” the judge said. “Although you were qualified and carried out the work competently, that is not the point. This kind of conduct must be discouraged.”
