A Zimbabwean care worker has been given a six-month suspended sentence for pretending to be someone else.

Vuyolwethu Ntandani used another person’s name and details while employed at Leonard Cheshire’s Fryers House Care Home in Romsey after his right to work in the UK has expired.

Southampton Crown Court heard Ntandani’s earnings were transferred into the bank account of the man he was posing as with 80% sent on to his bank account.

Ntandani is now working in another care home in Southampton after obtaining the right to work in the UK in 2022.

He was given a six-month sentence suspended for two years with 200 hours of unpaid work.

His solicitor said he was “regretful and remorseful” and had “reflected on the circumstances that led to him committing this offence in the first place”, The Southern Daily Echo reported.

“He made a foolish decision to embark on the employment set up in [the other man’s] name when he had no right to work in the UK.”

He said his care manager had described Ntandani as a “conscientious and hard-working employee”.

A spokesperson for Leonard Cheshire said: “The former member of staff was employed through an agency, which had responsibility for undertaking pre-employment checks. Following contact by relevant authorities about the individual’s real right to work status, we acted immediately to end his role with us.”