Fake nurse who wanted to help during Covid sentenced to 450 days in jail

The District Court in Den Bosch sentenced Leroy S. to a prison term of 450 days on Friday after convicting him on charges that he posed as a nurse at the Jeroen Bosch Hospital in Den Bosch during the first wave of coronavirus infections. Because the 27-year-old was already in pre-trial detention for an extended period of time, and was subjected to monitoring after his release, he will not have to return to prison. S. "deviously" abused the large staff shortage at the start of the coronavirus crisis, the court said in its ruling.

The charges against S. include fraud and attempted aggravated assault, because he treated patients without having attained a diploma. According to the court, there was no evidence of serious abuse because S. did not intend to injure patients. "The court has the idea that this is a gross self-overestimation."

S. had emphasized several times during the handling of his case last month that he never wanted to hurt or harm anyone. "I never had the intention of assaulting anyone."

When the hospitals were so busy at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, it was all hands on deck, and all help was welcome. S. was 24 when he applied to work with the hospital in March 2020, lied that he had completed a higher professional education as a nurse, and was able to get started immediately. He was immediately fired when it became clear after a few weeks that he had not completed any relevant training. He also was not in the national BIG registry of licensed healthcare providers.

"The court thinks it is very bad that the suspect abused a crisis situation in healthcare at the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, with our country in turmoil."

The hospital pressed charges against the man. A month after his dismissal, S. was arrested on May 18, 2020. He was then detained for several months, until the court presiding over a pre-trial hearing released him on February 16, 2021. He was required to wear an ankle monitoring device, the court determined.

Prosecutors had demanded a conviction and a sentence of two years in prison with additional compulsory psychiatric institutionalization in a TBS facility, and other conditions. Although experts said S. was less responsible for his actions due to mental health conditions, the court said sending him to a TBS facility was not a proportionate punishment.

However, he will have to undergo compulsory treatment for his psychological problems in the coming period and he will be banned from participating in medical professions.