Christina Barrett, 52, appeared before magistrates in Northampton on eight separate charges of fraud and false representation. She is accused of tricking her way into getting a security PIN number from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), allowing her to work as a nurse.

Keith Taylor, prosecuting, told the court Barrett phoned the NMC in 2003 and convinced staff she had forgotten which name she was registered in.

He said: “She told the NMC her name was Christine and she gave them her date of birth, but said she could not remember which surname she was using at the time she registered. The NMC happened to match the details of the first name and the date of birth with that of a Christine Taylor, and issued Christine Taylor’s PIN number to Christine Barrett. Within two months of securing the PIN number, the defendant requested the identification be re-issued in her maiden name of Barrett. During this time, she managed to secure a job at Northampton General Hospital working mainly on the Rowan Ward, a surgical ward, where she was involved in the direct treatment of patients.” Read more…