I didn’t exaggerate injuries – accused
ASENIOR manager working for the NHS – accused of defrauding her employers of £12,000 – denies “grossly exaggerating” injuries she sustained in a horse-riding accident which led to a sickness leave of four months.
It is claimed Elise David, 33, took part in showjumping events while claiming she had a back injury sustained in an accident on June 5, 2016, when she fell off her horse.
She took sick leave from her job as a quality manager at the Surgical Materials Testing Laboratory at the Princess of Wales Hospital, in Bridgend, between June and October, 2016, due to her injuries.
During that period she was paid £12,000.
While claiming she had difficulty walking and was unable to drive, she was photographed riding a horse at a number of dressage, cross-country and showjumping events.
David, of West Road, Nottage, Porthcawl, denies one count of fraud.
The defendant continued to give evidence at her trial at Newport Crown Court yesterday, when she was accused by prosecutor Nigel Fryer of “grossly exaggerating” to her employers.
He said: “What happened in the summer of 2016, yes, you had a fall from a horse in June, but you lied to your employers about the extent of the injuries you suffered, didn’t you?
“Because you had a passion for horse-riding you decided to prioritise that over work, didn’t you, and you continued to be paid and continued to represent to them that you couldn’t come to work when you were in a position to work in the laboratory, didn’t you?”
David said she had also sustained a head injury in the accident but did not mention it to her employers as it might have affected her job.
She said: “To perform my job correctly I had to go into the laboratory and I felt unable to do that.”
The court heard that David called her horse Dalton, but when it came to official documents and competi- tion registration, he was named Caerau Freeway.
When asked in her interview with fraud investigator Nigel Price in March last year if she was the owner of Caerau Freeway, she replied “no comment”.
When Mr Fryer asked her why she didn’t answer the question straightaway, the defendant said: “The official owner is the name on the horse’s passport and I wanted to make sure I had the right name.
“I have since looked at the passport and my name is on there but my dad paid for it and the receipt was made out to him.”
Mr Fryer said: “It’s because you were desperately trying to work out what could be proved against you.
“You didn’t want to make any admissions about the material you were being shown, that’s why you couldn’t answer this question.” The defendant denied this. During her absence from work, David took part in horse-riding events in Chepstow on July 3, 2016, Calmsden, Gloucestershire, on July 31, 2016, west Wiltshire on Septem- ber 10, 2016, and Abergavenny on September 17, 2016.
She was photographed at some of these events and the images were later seen by her employers.
The defendant’s father, William David, was also called to give evidence and was asked about a woman called Anne Davies who was named as the rider of Caerau Freeway during a number of the competitions where David was photographed competing.
He said: “Anne Davies would come and do the gofering. She would help with the management of the horse.”
Mr Fryer said: “Anne Davies was in fact your daughter because her middle name is Anne. You have come here to protect your daughter and Anne Davies never existed.”
Mr David said: “That’s not true.” The trial continues.