A WOMAN who spent 22 years employed as an NHS psychiatrist has appeared before magistrates accused of conning medical regulators by presenting them with a fake degree.

Zholia Alemi, 57, employed by a number of NHS hospital trusts during her career, spent several months working at a specialist dementia unit in Workington.

She has now been charged with 10 counts of fraud.

Formerly of Scaw Road, High Harrington, Workington, Alemi made a brief appearance at a magistrates’ court in Manchester.

Her charge sheet includes two allegations that she made a false instrument - namely a fake degree with the intention that the General Medical Council - the UK’s medical regulator for doctors - would be accepted as genuine.

Prosecutors say that both offences were committed on September 21, 1995 in the Manchester area.

The remaining eight charges all allege that Alemi committed fraud in that she “dishonestly made a false representation, namely that she said she was a qualified doctor, intending to make a gain by falsely claiming she was entitled to work as a doctor.

Prosecutors say this was an offence under the Fraud Act 2006. Each of those eight charges are said to have been committed in the following places:

* Nottingham, on August 11, 2008

* Nottingham, on November 14, 2008;

* Sheffield, on February 25, 2011;

* Nottingham, on February 1 2010;

* Nottingham, on December 1, 2010;

* Northumberland, on January 1, 2011;

* Oxford, on February 7, 2011;

* and Nottingham, on March 30, 2009.

Alemi did not enter any pleas. Magistrates sent the case to Manchester Crown Court for a hearing on October 20.