A YOUNG man was in tears today when he heard that he wouldn’t be jailed for using fake certificates to secure a frontline ambulance service job.

Jack Walter, 24, admitted creating a number of fraudulent documents to gain employment with Jigsaw Medical Services in November last year.

The private company, based in Ellesmere Port, supplies personnel to frontline NHS and patient transport services.

Walter was assigned to several posts within NHS ambulance trusts, including the East Midlands and North West units, until suspicions were aroused and he was arrested on May 31 this year.

He pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud relating to qualifications including ‘Emergency Response Driving’, ‘First Person on Scene’, ‘Ambulance Aid Course’, ‘Notification of Performance’, and ‘Emergency Ambulance Driving’.

Chester Magistrates Court heard that some of the certificates were found to have names pasted on or misspelt, as well as inaccurate course titles.

Shirley Selby, defending, said the “frustrating part” was her client did actually have an Emergency Care Assistant (ECA) qualification from an ambulance service provider company called SSG UK.

However there had been a delay in receiving a copy of the certificate – for which his parents had paid £250 – and he chose to make a false one to send in his job application to Jigsaw.

“This is a young man who was desperate for a job,” said Miss Selby, who showed her client’s genuine certificate to the court.

“He took these steps in a bid to please his mum and dad and, in his words, to be a better son.”

She added: “He was trying to repay his parents and it is clear that this was a bad decision and he is aware of that.

“It’s a case of a very immature young man making a very silly decision. He’s very sorry and extremely remorseful. He has learnt his lesson.”

Miss Selby claimed her client was not motivated by money but by a desire to help people in need and most recently had worked for the NHS supporting young people with mental health issues.

He is very hard-working and previously held down jobs at Burger King and through employment agencies, she said.

The court heard that Walter has one previous conviction for the theft of a fuel card when employed by another ambulance service.

But Miss Selby explained that he had only used the card so he could travel to voluntary work placements with charity St John Ambulance.

Magistrates told Walter, of Oriel Way, Bicester, Oxfordshire, that the offences were very serious and could have placed the public at risk.

They sentenced him to 12 weeks in prison but agreed to suspend the jail term for 12 months meaning he will only be locked up if he commits another offence within the next year.

Walter was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community and undertake a 20-day rehabilitation activity. He must also pay £85 prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £115.