Man jailed for fraud

Press, 4 March 1989, Page 6

Man jailed for fraud

A man, who defrauded the Accident Compensation Commission of $34,309 over 16 months, was sent to prison for nine months by Judge Fraser for what he described as a planned, elaborate, and sustained fraud.

Shane Kevin Griffiths, aged 35, self-employed, (Mr M. J. Glue), was appearing for sentence in the District Court yesterday for defrauding the commission of this sum by falsely representing that his wife was receiving home help from someone other than an immediate member of her family. Judge Fraser accepted submissions that Griffiths had laboured under a sense of injustice at the A.C.C.’s apparent inaction. But if persons were dissatisfied with the commission’s decisions, there were appeal procedures. “What you did was to

embark on a planned and sustained serious fraud.”

By its sentence the Court condemned such action, said the Judge. Mr Glue accepted that his client had a long and unenviable criminal record.

Griffiths did not deny defrauding the commission but he was put in an intolerable position.

His wife’s injury, suffered when she was struck on the head from behind with a milk bottle, was not minor.

The encounter had left her emotionally fragile and suffering from acute anxiety.

Mr Glue submitted the written opinions of medical authorities in support of Mrs Griffiths’ condition.

The defendant was compelled to take the action out of concern for his wife and the commission’s inaction, said Mr Glue.