Post by Banjo on Oct 22, 2011 15:51:03 GMT 7
Pension counts dropped: Lake Macquarie woman, 87, too ill to face court
AN 87-year-old Lake Macquarie woman who was accused of ripping off Centrelink for $234,000 over 20 years had her charges dismissed yesterday because of ill health.
Phyllis Anne Cansdell had faced three charges for allegedly claiming a second pension at Morisset from November 1988 to September 2008.
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions had alleged that Ms Cansdell claimed two pensions, one under her own name and a second with the alias Patricia Green.
The director withdrew the charges against Ms Cansdell, formerly of Main Road, Fennell Bay, in Toronto Local Court yesterday.
‘‘The charges were withdrawn and dismissed on the basis that the director has discontinued the process on public-interest grounds,’’ a prosecutor for the director said.
‘‘A medical report indicated she was unfit to plead.’’
Court documents said Ms Cansdell had suffered a stroke after being prosecuted and was living in an aged-care hostel.
The prosecution had alleged that Ms Cansdell and Ms Green had the same phone number and birthday and that Ms Cansdell had listed Mandalong Road, Morisset, as Ms Green’s address.
Ms Cansdell allegedly collected the age pension ‘‘in the name of Patricia Green’’, born September 6, 1924. The NSW Births register had no record of a Patricia Green born on that date.
Ms Cansdell, born on September 6, 1924, also received the age pension in her own name.
She had faced two counts of misrepresenting herself to the Commonwealth and one count of dishonestly receiving funds from the Commonwealth.
Ms Cansdell’s last address was listed in court records as Main Road, Fennell Bay, but she had lived in a public housing dwelling in Park Road, Booragul, after October 17, 2007.
www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/pension-counts-dropped-lake-macquarie-woman-87-too-ill-to-face-court/2332086.aspx
AN 87-year-old Lake Macquarie woman who was accused of ripping off Centrelink for $234,000 over 20 years had her charges dismissed yesterday because of ill health.
Phyllis Anne Cansdell had faced three charges for allegedly claiming a second pension at Morisset from November 1988 to September 2008.
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions had alleged that Ms Cansdell claimed two pensions, one under her own name and a second with the alias Patricia Green.
The director withdrew the charges against Ms Cansdell, formerly of Main Road, Fennell Bay, in Toronto Local Court yesterday.
‘‘The charges were withdrawn and dismissed on the basis that the director has discontinued the process on public-interest grounds,’’ a prosecutor for the director said.
‘‘A medical report indicated she was unfit to plead.’’
Court documents said Ms Cansdell had suffered a stroke after being prosecuted and was living in an aged-care hostel.
The prosecution had alleged that Ms Cansdell and Ms Green had the same phone number and birthday and that Ms Cansdell had listed Mandalong Road, Morisset, as Ms Green’s address.
Ms Cansdell allegedly collected the age pension ‘‘in the name of Patricia Green’’, born September 6, 1924. The NSW Births register had no record of a Patricia Green born on that date.
Ms Cansdell, born on September 6, 1924, also received the age pension in her own name.
She had faced two counts of misrepresenting herself to the Commonwealth and one count of dishonestly receiving funds from the Commonwealth.
Ms Cansdell’s last address was listed in court records as Main Road, Fennell Bay, but she had lived in a public housing dwelling in Park Road, Booragul, after October 17, 2007.
www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/pension-counts-dropped-lake-macquarie-woman-87-too-ill-to-face-court/2332086.aspx
