A woman who received $38,000 from the Ministry of Health through fraudulent carer-support claims over nine years was sentenced yesterday to four months' home detention.
Ann McCarthy (49), of Clyde, mother, admitted a total of 28 charges, involving using a document to obtain a pecuniary advantage and dishonestly using a document, all between 2001-2010.
She appeared in the Alexandra District Court before Judge Stephen O'Driscoll, who described her offending as an abuse of trust and "theft from the community".
The facts summary said the defendant was the full-time carer of her disabled daughter. Carer-support subsidies were funded by the Ministry of Health for respite care, to help the unpaid full-time carer of a person with a disability take a break.
There were restrictions on who could provide carer support and parents were not eligible.
The ministry had received an anonymous tip-off that McCarthy had claimed carer support for her daughter while the girl was at a boarding school in Auckland. This prompted an audit to determine the potential level of fraudulent claims.
When interviewed during the investigation, McCarthy admitted signing claim forms seeking reimbursement for having paid support carers. She acknowledged she had never paid any carers.
The summary said a total of $19,471 had been obtained by submitting fraudulent time sheets for care allegedly provided to the defendant's daughter.
McCarthy has multiple sclerosis and her carer was also entitled to carer support. A total of $18,856 had been gained by submitting fraudulent time sheets for care allegedly provided to the defendant.
The facts summary said fraudulent claiming diverted health funds away from those who had a real need for the service.
Counsel Anne Stevens said McCarthy was a first offender and the charges had caused her shame and embarrassment.
The defendant was genuinely remorseful and was making attempts to repay the money. She had sold the family home and offered $5000 immediately in reparation.
Judge O'Driscoll said such offending was difficult to detect and the Ministry of Health put a "degree of trust" in people to be honest.
He ordered McCarthy to pay $15,000 reparation, with $5000 to be paid immediately and the remaining $10,000 to be paid at the rate of $5000 a year, starting in a year's time.
PerjuryA 31-year-old Central Otago woman who was found guilty on a charge of perjury after giving false evidence in a Family Court proceeding, was sentenced to four months' home detention. People giving evidence in court were required not just to tell the truth but the whole truth, Judge O'Driscoll said. Court proceedings were "not a game in which the participants can give contradictory, false and misleading evidence", he said.
Because the charge related to Family Court proceedings, none of the parties can be identified.
The woman had earlier pleaded not guilty to two counts of perjury and after hearing the case, Judge O'Driscoll found her guilty on one charge and not guilty on the other.
She had given false evidence in the Family Court that she had never been the victim of domestic violence from her partner.
The perjury did not involve any attempt for personal gain for herself.
However, the proceedings involved the safety of children and the potential for them to witness or be the subject of domestic violence, Judge O'Driscoll said.
She had no previous convictions.The defendant was ordered to do 200 hours' community work.
