Nurse cleared of child kidnap bid says life ruined

A pupil nurse cleared of plotting to kidnap a child from a neonatal ward stated her expertise of the justice system had left her “smashed”.

Safia Ahmadei was accused of “scouting” New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton for a child she might cross off as her personal.

However following an 11-day trial a jury discovered her not responsible of tried kidnap in simply 48 minutes.

Ms Ahmadei, who has maintained her innocence since her arrest in February, instructed the BBC: “My repute, my dignity, my profession is gone, all due to a flawed allegation.”

The mom of two was on remand in jail for six months awaiting trial the place she stated she was attacked thrice by different inmates.

Ms Ahmadei was unable to talk to members of the family whereas behind bars as a result of it took 4 months to get telephone calls authorized.

“Jail made me damaged – behind the door, at midnight, fascinated with my two flowers… my youngsters,” she stated.

Ms Ahmadei, who got here to England from Afghanistan in 2011, enrolled on a nursing course on the College of Wolverhampton in 2022.

She was in her second yr and coaching on the metropolis’s hospital when she stated her life was turned the other way up.

Ms Ahmadei maintains an harmless encounter with a distressed new mum on the neonatal ward led to her being arrested, charged and dealing with trial accused of making an attempt to steal her child.

She stated she approached the lady, who was involved her child had been positioned by an air-con unit.

In a position to talk in Urdu, Ms Ahmadei stated she comforted her and sympathised together with her elevating a household with out feminine family within the nation.

She additionally maintains the ladies realised they’d mutual acquaintances and that later that day she returned to the ward to offer the newborn a blanket.

Wearing her nurse’s uniform however not on responsibility, she was knowledgeable by a member of workers she shouldn’t be carrying it if not working.

Ms Ahmadei stated she returned to her automotive, placed on an general to cowl herself and took the blanket to the ward.

The next day, she acquired a name from the college to say she had been suspended from her course.

“I used to be actually shocked. I could not take it in” she stated.

“It was my dream to placed on that uniform. I used to be questioning what I had finished flawed… I knew in my coronary heart I used to be doing my finest on the hospital.”

Regardless of being instructed to remain away, the nurse stated she returned to the hospital the following day as a result of she feared she had unintentionally offended the lady.

She additionally took child garments, which she stated had been an apology present.

When she arrived, she was surrounded by hospital workers and police had been known as.

“They weren’t letting me communicate. I did not know what had gone on or what I might finished flawed,” she stated.

“My arrest was the black day in my life. I felt completely smashed,” she stated.

Throughout her trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court docket, the prosecution argued she was planning to kidnap a child to cross off as her personal after mendacity to her second husband about being pregnant with twin boys.

She admitted being untruthful however stated she had discovered herself in an unimaginable state of affairs.

“I used to be scared if I instructed him that perhaps he could be indignant and depart me,” she stated.

Her repeated appearances within the neonatal ward, altering of garments and buying of child outfits had been a part of the the prosecution’s case towards her.

However she repeatedly insisted she had no intention of taking a toddler to fake it was her personal.

“I am a mom. How might I harm one other mom?” she stated.

On 16 August, the jury delivered its not responsible verdict in lower than an hour.

Ms Ahmadei stated she wept with pleasure however that her ordeal was removed from over.

“I shut my eyes and I nonetheless hear the noise of the keys, the chain,” she stated.

Rumours and misinformation about her on-line had been devastating, she stated.

“My household should not letting me see social media, or the information reviews, as a result of they know if I see one thing it’ll make me extra upset.”

She stated she believed she confronted prejudice throughout the Afghan group after separating from her first husband and pursuing an schooling and profession.

“In my thoughts, it was a plan to place me in bother,” she instructed the BBC.

Regardless of her expertise, Ms Ahmadei remains to be pursuing a profession in nursing and hopes to be re-enrolled on a course.

“I am a robust mom. I’ll get my diploma however I fear that there might be one other Safia sooner or later,” she stated.

West Midlands Police stated it accepted the courtroom’s resolution and that “our ideas stay firmly with everybody that has been concerned on this case”.

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson stated it reviewed the proof within the case “rigorously earlier than making a charging resolution”.

They added: “The CPS doesn’t determine whether or not or not an individual is responsible – we make unbiased choices about when it’s acceptable to deliver a case to courtroom.

“The defendant has been acquitted and we respect the jury’s resolution.”

The College of Wolverhampton stated an inner investigation was ongoing and that Ms Ahmadei would stay suspended till its conclusion.

New Cross Hospital didn’t need to remark.