Worker may keep job after fraud conviction
A valuable health sector worker will get a shot at keeping her job after being convicted of benefit frauds totalling $208,945.
At the time of her sentencing in the Christchurch District Court on Thursday, the South Island woman was already showing signs of the treatment she needed from the latest assault in the ‘‘difficult and dangerous’’ sector where she works. The assault by a patient had aggravated an earlier injury, putting her off work for at least two weeks, Judge Jane Farish noted.
The judge said it had become clear that if she imposed anything more than community work, the 50-year-old would lose her job.
Ministry of Social Development prosecutor Chris Hunt had called for a more punitive sentence on the 20 charges of dishonestly using a document and obtaining money by deception. At current repayment arrangements, she was paying back only 1.3 per cent a year.
But defence counsel Josh Lucas urged a conviction and discharge because it was clear that community detention was not going to work, and he asked for final name suppression.
Judge Farish said the woman had failed to tell the ministry about a relationship that was seen as supportive, even if it did not continue as a romantic relationship, for more than seven and a half years. She also failed to tell the ministry about her work.
The woman had to cope with family health difficulties and had to support a relative who was a victim in a court case that had taken nearly four years to be completed. ‘‘I can understand you being so distracted that you put notifying the ministry about your income on the go-slow,’’ Judge Farish told the woman.
If the overpayments of $208,945 had been over a shorter period, she might have considered a discharge without conviction. Instead, she decided to convict and discharge the woman.
The conviction meant there would still be a professional review, and she might be stood down while that was considered. However, the woman was well sought after in a system that wanted to retain specialist staff.