NURSE STOLE $50K

A DRUG-addicted nurse stole more than $50,000 from Centrelink by falsely claiming Commonwealth benefits to feed her drug and alcohol habit.

Ex-Barwon Health nurse Br Brooke Graham pleaded gu guilty to obtaining financial ad advantage by deception charge ges after claiming $59,189.48 in soc social security benefits that she wa was not entitled to.

A Federal prosecutor said Graham was legitimately receiving Newstart benefits in 2015 but failed to notify authorities when she started working in the aged care sector.

The Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday heard the 43year-old earned more than $180,000 over a four-year period but told Centrelink that she had no income.

On 84 separate occasions Graham made telephone and online claims to Centrelink falsely stating she had no earnings.

The prosecutor said Graham’s theft of nearly $60,000 over a four-year period occurred while she was “in receipt of a significant income”.

Graham’s lawyer Susanna Locke said her client used the thousands of dollars she stole to fund her narcotics addiction which later saw her spend time in a private fee-paying rehab clinic.

Ms Locke said Graham had managed to forge a successful nursing career, which was now in jeopardy, despite battling a serious drug and alcohol addiction for all of her adult life.

She said “everything came to a head” at the end of 2017 when Graham checked in to the clinic for 100 days of treatment.

During the final weeks of her stay, on February 8, her offending came to light.

Ms Locke said her client was incredibly remorseful and knew that her offending had the potential to seriously impact a career she loved.

“Being a nurse has kept her sane at the toughest times of her addiction,” she said.

In pushing for a Community Corrections Order Ms Locke said Graham had started paying back the stolen money in a $100 instalments and had been sober for more than 12 months.

“She’s had a very difficult run,” Ms Locke said.

“In light of all that there is the significance of her ability to remain abstinent for 12 months is a success story in what is otherwise a very serious situation.”

Magistrate John Lesser said Graham’s offending affected every member of the community.

“The reality is that we all suffer because of it,” Mr Lesser said.

“When people dip into social security … it affects us all.”

Mr Lesser acknowledged Graham had tackled her addiction, was now employed as a withdrawal nurse at a drug rehab clinic and had stable accommodation.

He said sentencing Graham to a CCO could do more harm than good and instead issued a hefty fine.

Graham was convicted and fined $4500 and ordered to continue to repay the stolen funds to the Commonwealth.

“Don’t come back again,” Mr Lesser said.