Fake invoices created on work computer
Carr worked for two Jersey law firms between January 2019 and December 2022, and used her work computer to create the fake invoices.
In December 2022, a fraud specialist at AXA Global Healthcare became suspicious due to the large number of claims made by Carr.
Pictured: AXA became suspicious due to Carr’s large number of claims, and the matter was later referred to the police.
The fraud specialist contacted various local medical practices and it was confirmed that some of the invoices were false.
The matter was then referred to the States of Jersey Police.
“It was just easy”
Between August last year and January this year Carr also unsuccessfully tried to claim another £1,295.
When Carr was interviewed under caution in April 2023, she claimed that some of the invoices she submitted were genuine and that a friend had told her how to commit the offence.
“It was just easy,” she said.
She also claimed under police interview that she needed the money to support her elderly parents in Scotland, but the Royal Court was told yesterday that this claim was found to be “substantially untrue”.
“This was a serious abuse”
Crown Advocate Carla Carvalho, prosecuting, said the successful claims had included £10,909 for 33 physiotherapy and chiropractic appointments Carr never attended, and £6,747 for 13 X-rays she did not receive.
Pictured: The Royal Court was told that Carr will “carry the shame [of her offending] for the rest of her life”.
Carr admitted fraud and attempted fraud when she appeared in the Magistrate’s Court last month.
Advocate Carvalho accepted that Carr had no previous convictions and was considered at low risk of reconviction, but said: “This was serious abuse of an employer’s health insurance, falsifying documents in order to obtain money she was not entitled to.”
Citing the outcomes of similar cases, she recommended an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
“She felt obligated to assist her family”
Defending, Advocate Mark Boothman said that Carr “will carry the shame for the rest of her life”.
He added: “There was a desire to help her parents as much as she possibly could. She felt obligated to assist her family.”
Advocate Boothman also told the court that Carr’s partner had paid the money back, and she was now repaying him.
Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae described the crimes as “sustained and repeated fraud” and pointed out: “This sort of fraudulent conduct affects everyone, through increased premiums.”
“We accept that you are remorseful”
But he added: “You get full credit for your guilty plea. We accept that you are remorseful.”
Carr is two months pregnant, so the Jurats agreed to postpone the start of her community service for 18 months.
She was also ordered to pay £1,000 costs.
The Jurats sitting were Robert Christensen and David Le Heuzé.