Sacked public servant facing ‘Catch Me If You Can’-style identity fraud charges ‘too ill to come to court’

A FORMER high-ranking public servant facing identity fraud charges says she is too ill to come to court - but prosecutors want her doctor’s certificate checked to ensure it is not a forgery.

Sacked public servant Veronica Theriault, who is facing identity fraud charges.

• Senior Government staffer charged just seven weeks into job
• Bureaucrats could be disciplined in ‘Catch Me If You Can’ case
• Two more ‘used fake credentials to win top government jobs’
• Contractor sacked over ‘Catch Me If You Can’ case

A FORMER high-ranking public servant facing identity fraud charges says she is too ill to come to court - but prosecutors want her doctor’s certificate checked to ensure it is not a forgery.

Veronica Hilda Theriault was due to answer the charges against her on Thursday, but her counsel asked the Adelaide Magistrates Court to postpone the hearing.

Nic Kernahan, for Theriault, presented the court with a medical certificate but Ryan Williams, prosecuting, said he did not “accept it on its face”.

“I have concerns about its veracity, in light of the nature of the allegations,” he said.

“Some inquiries are being made by investigators, some have been made and more will continue to be made to determine whether this document is authentic.

“We’re asking an arrest warrant be issued (to be activated) if she does not attend on the next occasion.”

Theriault, 44, of Claremont in WA, is the former chief information officer for the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

She and her co-accused, Alan Hugh Melville Corkill, 40, of Karrinyup in WA, are jointly charged with deceiving another to benefit themselves.

Veronica Theriault outside Adelaide Magistrates Court in Adelaide in May, 2018 Photo: AAP Image/Kelly Barnes.

Last year, The Advertiser revealed Theriault was sacked just seven weeks after she started in her $244,000-a-year position.

She is accused of inventing a “totally fraudulent” background and falsifying her purported “20 years of experience”.

Theriault allegedly portrayed herself, fraudulently, as a “senior leadership official” by assuming false identities and writing herself references.

She is further accused of employing Corkill — who is understood to be her brother — on lucrative $1500-a-day contracts.

Last month, the court was told Theriault wanted to broker a plea bargain deal with prosecutors.

On Thursday, Mr Kernahan rejected any assertion that the medical certificate was fraudulent.

“I have been provided with what I say is a suitable, appropriate document,” he said.

“If the matters raised in it continue to be an issue for my client, it may be it’s not possible for her to travel on the next (court) occasion.

“ I can indicate that it appears there are some counts that will be the subject of (guilty) pleas - I will not say which ones.”

James Noblett, for Corkhill, said his client was also absent from court but prosecutors had been informed of that ahead of time and took no issue.

“I can indicate my client will plead guilty to the count of deception, but there needs to be some further discussion in relation to the other charge,” he said.

Magistrate Paul Foley remanded the duo on continuing bail to face court again in August, ordering an arrest warrant be issued for Theriault should she fail to attend.

Follow @SeanFewster