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Fake school nurse - Worked at college for eight years
A woman who worked as the school nurse at a St Ann college even though she had no nursing qualifications, will spend the next 12 months in jail.
Celia Francis, 57, from Ewarton, St Catherine, was sentenced yesterday in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court. She had pleaded guilty to practising nursing without being registered, forgery and uttering a forged document, on an earlier date.
The facts are that for the last eight years, the accused was working at the Moneague College as the school's nurse. She had presented them with a certificate stating that she was a trained nurse. However, when a new personnel manager came to the school and realised that there was no date on Francis' certificate and she was unable to provide a proper certificate, the administration became suspicious. Contact was made with the nursing council of Jamaica which revealed that Francis was not registered.
It was revealed that Francis had started a three-year nursing course in the 70s but had only completed two years. She allegedly scanned a friend's certificate onto a computer and then amended the details.
very remorseful
When the matter was mentioned yesterday, Francis' lawyer told the court that she was very remorseful for what she had done. He said the results of the social enquiry report had suggested that she was respected in her community and said the probation office had suggested that she receive a non-custodial sentence.
Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey was, however, quick to point out that a non-custodial sentence was almost impossible. She told the court that the accused had been clamouring to be paid more money when she worked overtime, even though she knew she was not trained.
RM Pusey said, "<span style="font-weight: bold">She run and gone plead for more money and she knew that she didn't have any training</span>. She's a criminal." <span style="font-style: italic">When her attorney tried to convince the RM that Francis had resigned because she felt bad about her wrongdoing, RM Pusey told him that the accused only resigned after the matter came to light. </span>
The RM added, "If it was something like a typist or a sales clerk, but I'm sure she has given medicine, diagnosed illnesses and performed minor miracles, and she doesn't have any training. And she was working at an institution where people send their healthy children."
For practising as a nurse without a license, Francis was sentenced to $20 or 10 days and for forgery and uttering a forged document, she was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment at hard labour on both counts. The sentences are to, however, run concurrent, so she will only serve 12 months
A woman who worked as the school nurse at a St Ann college even though she had no nursing qualifications, will spend the next 12 months in jail.
Celia Francis, 57, from Ewarton, St Catherine, was sentenced yesterday in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court. She had pleaded guilty to practising nursing without being registered, forgery and uttering a forged document, on an earlier date.
The facts are that for the last eight years, the accused was working at the Moneague College as the school's nurse. She had presented them with a certificate stating that she was a trained nurse. However, when a new personnel manager came to the school and realised that there was no date on Francis' certificate and she was unable to provide a proper certificate, the administration became suspicious. Contact was made with the nursing council of Jamaica which revealed that Francis was not registered.
It was revealed that Francis had started a three-year nursing course in the 70s but had only completed two years. She allegedly scanned a friend's certificate onto a computer and then amended the details.
very remorseful
When the matter was mentioned yesterday, Francis' lawyer told the court that she was very remorseful for what she had done. He said the results of the social enquiry report had suggested that she was respected in her community and said the probation office had suggested that she receive a non-custodial sentence.
Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey was, however, quick to point out that a non-custodial sentence was almost impossible. She told the court that the accused had been clamouring to be paid more money when she worked overtime, even though she knew she was not trained.
RM Pusey said, "<span style="font-weight: bold">She run and gone plead for more money and she knew that she didn't have any training</span>. She's a criminal." <span style="font-style: italic">When her attorney tried to convince the RM that Francis had resigned because she felt bad about her wrongdoing, RM Pusey told him that the accused only resigned after the matter came to light. </span>
The RM added, "If it was something like a typist or a sales clerk, but I'm sure she has given medicine, diagnosed illnesses and performed minor miracles, and she doesn't have any training. And she was working at an institution where people send their healthy children."
For practising as a nurse without a license, Francis was sentenced to $20 or 10 days and for forgery and uttering a forged document, she was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment at hard labour on both counts. The sentences are to, however, run concurrent, so she will only serve 12 months
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