Nurse off sick for six months caught posting holiday pictures on Facebook

A nurse who was off on sick leave was caught out having a lavish holiday in Cuba when she posted pictures of it on social media. A court was told that Sarah Oakes also got a new job while off supposedly ill, and forged her doctor’s note to get leave.

Liverpool Crown Court was told that Oakes, 44, had gone on a break with her new husband when she was rumbled. She first began working at Whiston Hospital in October 2015. Oakes, of Westwood in Runcorn, then went off sick in February 2019 complaining of chronic hip pain and having reportedly had surgery on her foot, the Liverpool Echo reported.

Sarah Holt, prosecuting, said the trust discovered she had given it fake sick notes and didn’t attend welfare appointments. Oakes had been offered a job at Warrington Hospital after attending an open day in January 2019, although she did not begin work until August 12. She obtained this staff nurse role after providing two references.

However, it was then found one of these testimonials, from a fellow employee at Whiston Hospital, had not been genuine. Oakes was dismissed from Warrington Hospital in November 2021. She was off sick for six months and during that posted pictures from her Cuba trip on Facebook. One holiday saw her travel to meet her then-boyfriend, while the second journey was undertaken in order to marry him.

Oakes had falsely claimed a total of more than £31,000 in wages from Warrington Hospital and sick pay from Whiston Hospital. She has no previous convictions. Patrick Williamson, defending, told the court his client suffers from bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. He added: “That work with the second trust must have been of some value, albeit the job was obtained fraudulently.

“The defendant obtained the job with Whiston Hospital in 2015. There is no indication of any inappropriate behaviour on her part or falling short in the job. She worked there for four years. At the beginning of 2019, a number of matters arose personally and professionally which led to her behaviour in consequent months.

“At work, she maintains that she was subjected to bullying. If the defendant lost her liberty, her partner would not be able to keep his job and look after the children, and he would not be able to seek benefits due to his position in this country. She is claiming maternity pay until September this year, and her husband works in a warehouse.”

Oakes admitted two counts of fraud by false representation. She was handed a 14-month imprisonment suspended for two years and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days.

Sentencing, Judge Anil Murray said: “This was a sustained period that you were lying for. It looks like you were interviewed coming up to three years ago and made admissions but, amazingly, you were not sent a postal charge until January this year.

“You are not thought to pose a risk to the public. It is thought that you do have a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

“You have not been in trouble since this, three years ago. There is significant personal mitigation, and if I were to send you to prison that would have a calamitous effect on your children.

“I am just able to suspend this sentence. If I meet you again, it will mean that you have breached this order. I will be driven to send you to prison.”