A former Richmond Council worker tried to use false documents to fraudulently help him get a medical job.

Michael Andrews, 54, was sentenced to 10 months in prison at the Old Bailey on Friday (April 21) alongside three other men involved in making, selling and using false certificates and documents.

In total, the gang made £76,144 from the fraud.

An investigation by the City of London Police Fraud Squad and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) found that from August 2011 to February 2014, two men - Andrew Downes and Richard Stanley – made and sold falsified certificates, qualifications and Criminal Record Bureau checks, including medical examinations, military references, firearms and seafarer safety certifications that enabled people to gain employment.

Stanley was charging up to £600 per certificate.

Another man Nicholas Borg –  aged 35, of Dartmouth Walk in Plymouth – bought certificates and supplied Stanley with contact details of potential customers.

The three were arrested on September 9, 2014.

Former council worker Michael Andrews bought false certificates and documents through websites and eBay accounts that were run by Downes.

He tried unsuccessfully to join Richmond’s Register of Social Care Workers, before resigning from the council.

He was again unsuccessful when he resubmitted these certificates to the General Social Care Council in 2007.

From 2009 onwards, he then submitted his certificates to The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) claiming to be a Doctor of Psychology with the aim of building a platform to advertise his services and gain employment. Andrews is no longer registered with the HCPC.

Andrews also attempted to gain employment by stealing the unique General Medical Council (GMC) reference number of a registered doctor. The GMC took action by reporting the matter to the police and also took steps to ensure that any further fraudulent attempts to use the genuine doctor’s GMC reference number were blocked.

Evidence seized from Downes’ computer by the Fraud Squad showed that Andrews purchased certificates from Downes claiming to show his false qualifications as a Doctor of Psychology from numerous UK academic institutions.

Andrews was arrested in May 2015 but later changed his name to Dr David Michael Andrews and under this name continued his deception by submitting two application forms to the United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapy (UKCP).

The City of London Police Fraud Squad has obtained a criminal behaviour order (CBO) for Andrews for five years relating to him trying to obtain employment in the medical profession.
They say there is no evidence to suggest he gained employment fraudulently through the use of these falsified certificates.

However patients and clients who suspect they may have been a victim of Andrews are urged to contact their local police force.

Richard Stanley, aged 38 of Haigh Court, Brampton Bierlow in Rotherham was jailed for two years. Andrew Downes, aged 55 of Llys Mair, Burry Port in Wales was sentenced to two years in prison while Borg was given a 12 months suspended sentence.