Burnley woman denies forging medical degree certificate

Zholia Alemi denied failing her exams during a six-year course at the University of Auckland

A woman has denied forging a degree certificate in order to practise as a doctor.

Zholia Alemi is accused of forging documents which she sent to the General Medical Council (GMC) in 1995 with the aim of becoming registered as a doctor.

Manchester Crown Court heard Ms Alemi worked as a psychiatrist for health trusts across the UK over a period of about 20 years.

Ms Alemi, of Burnley, Lancashire, denies 20 offences including forgery.

The defendant, of Plumbe Street, told the jury she was born in Iran in 1967, although the court heard two alternative dates of birth were recorded on different documents, including her passport.

She claimed she left her home country and divorced her husband after she and her family were tortured following the Iranian revolution.

Ms Alemi said she graduated from the University of Tehran in 1987 with a BSc in biology and, after leaving the country, attended the University of Auckland.

She told the court she completed a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree course, a qualification which all doctors must hold.

She denied failing her exams during the six-year course.

The prosecution allege Ms Alemi completed a degree in Bachelor of Human Biology in New Zealand but, after failing a number of years, she was stopped from re-enrolling at the university to complete the more advanced course in 1994.

Ms Alemi said: "I never have received any communication that says I am not allowed to enrol in university."

The court has heard Ms Alemi moved to the UK and in 1995 sent a degree certificate and letter of verification apparently from the University of Auckland to the GMC.

When asked if she forged the degree certificate, Ms Alemi replied: "No, I didn't."

'It's impossible'

Asked about mistakes in the letter, which spelt verify as "varify" and referred to "six years medical trainee with satisfactory grade", Ms Alemi said: "I don't think that this letter could have been produced by somebody who has got even just a bachelor degree in any subject from Auckland university.

"Auckland university is English-speaking, you cannot pass your exams not knowing English and this letter, to me, it's very unusual."

The court heard she went on to do training in Northern Ireland, where she was awarded a diploma in mental health by Queens University, Belfast, in July 1998, and qualified for membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Francis FitzGibbon KC, defending, asked whether it would have been possible for her to achieve those qualifications without a medical degree.

Ms Alemi replied: "No, it's impossible."

The jury was told Ms Alemi had been convicted in 2018 following a trial at Carlisle Crown Court of three fraud offences.

The court heard she had forged a will to make herself the beneficiary and forged signatures on applications to hold powers of attorney.

She denies 13 counts of fraud, three counts of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, two counts of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument.

The trial continues.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]