Nurse had benefit fraud convictions, court hears

Tanya Nasir, 45, is accused of deliberately lying on application forms to gain a senior nursing position

A woman accused of lying about her qualifications and experience to get a senior nursing post in a hospital neonatal unit had previous convictions for benefit fraud, a jury has heard.

Tanya Nasir, 45, from Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, was convicted of four counts of benefit fraud in December 2010 by Hemel Hempstead Magistrates' court.

She was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 in costs.

Ms Nasir, who is on trial at Cardiff Crown Court, denies nine counts of fraud by false representation.

Ms Nasir claimed to have served in locations including Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti, Kosovo and Sudan as an Army nurse.

She said she had worked in a field hospital in Afghanistan "500m from the front line".

A statement from Maj Kevin Haresign was read to the court, confirming Ms Nasir had never been deployed overseas by British Armed Forces.

It said she was "never on our books".

Ms Nasir began work as the ward manager in the unit for premature and seriously ill babies at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend in September 2019.

She was suspended in February 2020 after concerns were raised about her CV and the date of her qualification as a nurse.

During her interview for the post, she told the panel she would need time off each summer to attend Army training camps.

She also used the rank of captain and major, explaining these were courtesy titles which she said she had been told she could use.

Ms Nasir resigned two days before a disciplinary hearing in November 2020 and was arrested on suspicion of fraud in April 2021.

On Friday, her defence barrister Peter Hunter told the court: "Babies weren't dying. She was performing her role.

"There is no evidence of negligence."

He said she had a higher education diploma in adult nursing from Buckinghamshire New University in February 2014 and was a qualified nurse.

Earlier in the trial, the court heard concerns were raised about her qualification and registration date as a nurse by senior staff at the Princess of Wales Hospital.

Ms Nasir said she had qualified in 2010 but her registration code with the Nursing and Midwifery Council indicated she had qualified in 2013-14.

Those concerns led to an internal investigation and a criminal inquiry.

The court was told Ms Nasir claimed to have significant experience working in adult and child nursing, including intensive care and accident and emergency.

Mr Hunter said his client had been suspended from her role as the band seven ward manager the day after making a complaint about behaviour on the ward.

He asked NHS senior counter fraud investigator Neil Jones if he knew Ms Nasir had made an appointment under the hospital whistleblowing policy to discuss her concerns.

Mr Jones said he did not.

Tanya Nasir worked at the Princess of Wales hospital

NHS senior counter fraud investigator Neil Jones told Cardiff Crown Court Ms Nasir was arrested at 07:42 on 21 April 2021 by six officers from Dyfed-Powys Police.

He and two colleagues from NHS Counter Fraud also went to her home in John Street in Brecon, Powys.

A search by police found a certificate awarded to Ms Nasir from the University of West London awarding a BSc in operating department practice with first class honours.

The court has been told Ms Nasir was not awarded that qualification.

The jury was also shown a certificate from the Royal Army Dental Corp, Compulsory Infantry Army Programme 1997-2001.

The court has previously been told she was never a member of the Army or the Army Reserve in any capacity, but was told she was an adult volunteer with the Army Cadets.

Mr Jones said a search of the Brecon house also found a diploma in nursing from Buckinghamshire New University dated to 2010.

The court has also been told Ms Nasir told the hospital at her interview she would need time off to serve with the Army Reserve in training camps and had served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

She also claimed to have worked with charities including Oxfam and the Red Cross in warzones. The charities say there are no records of her working with them.

Mr Hunter criticised the length of the interviews conducted by senior investigator Mr Jones and his colleague Beverley Jones following Ms Nasir's arrest.

She was interviewed on five separate occasions at Brecon Police Station for a total of 35 hours over six months.

Mr Hunter described the time taken as "not normal".

He said: "I suggest 35 hours is manifestly excessive."

Mr Jones replied: "That is your opinion."

The trial continues.