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Jasmin Hossain

Child cruelty mum caught applying for care worker job despite ban

A MOTHER convicted of child cruelty has breached a barring restriction prohibiting her from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Jasmin Hossain, 50, of Marvels Lane, Grove Park, Lewisham, applied for a job as a care worker, despite being banned from the sector due to a conviction for child cruelty. 

She was added to the barred list by the Independent Safeguarding Authority – now the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) – after being jailed for child cruelty at Croydon Crown Court in 2010.

However, she breached the barring restriction in 2014 by applying for a DBS certificate for a support worker job with Angel HR

And in January this year she was once again convicted of breaching the restriction after applying for a care worker job with Capital Homecare UK Ltd.

Isobel Parker, prosecuting, said: “She said in her (police) interview that she didn’t realise her (barred) status was still current as the last time she was arrested the officer said her status expires after 11 years.

“She said she was apologetic and remorseful and wouldn’t have applied if she knew.”

Bromley Magistrates Court heard how Hossain had also not disclosed her previous convictions to her current employer Sainsbury’s, where she works as a sales assistant.

Police warned her that failing to disclose convictions to an employer is against the law, the prosecution said. 

Although Hossain was representing herself during the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, a duty solicitor present in the courtroom spoke up on her behalf.

The solicitor, who had a brief conversation with Hossain, said: “She doesn’t fully understand what has been ordered against her. I asked her why she hadn’t applied to have it (the baring restriction) reviewed or appealed.

“Her reason was that she didn’t understand that was something she could do. While she has learnt English, her understanding is limited.

“We have someone in the dock who does not understand what’s going on.”

Bromley Magistrates Court heard that Hossain, originally from Bangladesh, learnt English while serving time for child cruelty in HMP Downview in Sutton.

The duty solicitor who spoke on Hossain’s behalf said she had urged her to apply for legal aid ahead of the next hearing.

Nigel Taylor, chair of the bench, said the magistrates had decided to defer Hossain’s sentencing to give her time to appeal against the barring restriction and organise legal representation.

Her sentencing has been pushed back to September 17.