Bogus health worker tried smear test scam

A BOGUS medical researcher was jailed for 18 months yesterday for his bizarre plot to carry out cervical smear tests.

Simon Branson was an "adrenaline junkie" who thrived on taking risks, though there was also a sexual element to his "ludicrous" behaviour, Chester Crown Court was told.

Branson, 40, of Crediton, Exeter, was arrested by undercover police after hiring a room at Chester Better Health Clinic. He had told staff that he was Leslie Philips from the University of Liverpool, qualified to carry out cervical smear test research. He claimed his quest, was to develop techniques to transfer cells to a database.

Branson also approached a gynaecologist in Exeter and a hotel in Chester where he tried to hire a room. A nursing agency was asked find volunteers. In fact, Branson was a design engineer and physicist with no medical qualifications. The suspicions of the Better Health Clinic led to his arrest.

In February, Branson told a nursing home at Saltney near Chester, that he was prepared to pay pounds 10 for volunteers. One woman, aged 45, came forward but he said she was too old. He was only interested in women aged between 20-30.

Michael Scholes, defending, said Branson: "enjoys risk and describes a snowball effect of the enterprise, the heat or excitement of the chase."

Branson previously pleaded guilty to attempting to dishonestly obtain services between January and February 1999.