The consultant psychiatrist jailed for faking a patient’s will in a bid to inherit her £1.3m estate tried to hide the police investigation into her behaviour from the UK’s medical authorities.

Despite being arrested on suspicion of stealing watches from an elderly patient, Workington based Zholia Alemi, 55, failed to tell the General Medical Council (GMC) about the Cumbria Police investigation. The doctor was this week given a five year jail term after a jury convicted her of three fraud allegations and one theft.

Alemi, of Scaw Road, High Harrington, began working as a locum psychiatrist for Cumbria Parntership NHS Trust on October 19, 2015.

She was suspended after her arrest on June 6 of the following year.

Despite the investigation, on May 4, 2017, the psychiatrist submitted a form to the NHS body that approves doctors to renew her clinician status, but she failed to disclose the police investigation.

Nor did she admit she was being investigated by the General Medical Council (GMC) as a consequence of the probe.

As a result of this, a three person Medical Practitioners Tribunal Panel met in August, and concluded Alemi made false and misleading declarations while filling out the practice renewal form.

They suspended her licence to practice for 12 months.

The judgement goes on to confirm that it was the second time the doctor had been in trouble with the GMC.

The report outlines how in 2012 the doctor was convicted of careless driving and found to have worked as an approved clinician without being properly approved.

“Dr Alemi inaccurately stated that she was not the subject of an investigation into her fitness to practice,” says the report, adding that Alemi was given an official warning.

A spokeswoman for Cumbria Partnership NHS Trust said: “When Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) became aware of these serious allegations, Dr Alemi was suspended from her duties, her locum contract with CPFT ceased and we referred her to the General Medical Council.

“The safety of our patients is our utmost priority and, alongside our health and social care partners, we have supported Mrs Belham throughout this long investigation. We immediately conducted a thorough review of her entire caseload and undertook our own internal investigation, the findings of which was shared with the police. We are pleased with the outcome of the case and hope it gives a clear message that anyone who abuses their position in this way will be brought to justice.”

Alemi’s trial heard how she befriended 84-year-old Bridekirk widow Gillian Belham, taking control of her finances. The doctor tricked two of Mrs Belham’s neighbours into signing a fake will leaving her the pensioner’s estate. Judge James Adkin said her crimes were “wicked,” and motivated by “pure greed.”