Mackay Base Hospital social worker Sarah Maree Simpson fined for privacy breach

The woman stole protected information off a hospital computer. But in an attempt to protect her privacy, her male escort snatched a journalist’s phone outside court.

Hospital social worker Sarah Maree Simpson (left) and a man rush from Mackay courthouse after she was fined $2000 and a conviction was recorded for unlawfully accessing a restricted computer.

A criminal conviction has been recorded against a Mackay Base Hospital social worker after she pleaded guilty to using her position to unlawfully access protected information.

Sarah Maree Simpson was also fined $2000 over the offence, but the reasons behind her penalty remain unknown.

Outside court, Simpson’s male escort also snatched a phone from a waiting journalist before the pair ran from the courthouse after security intervened.

A man who accompanied Sarah Maree Simpson to court where she learned her sentence for unlawfully accessing a restricted computer snatched a phone from a waiting journalist outside Mackay courthouse.

Simpson, 40, pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court in late July to accessing a restricted computer between April 29 and July 1, 2019.

The court heard she had been employed at the hospital in various roles including as a full-time social worker in the mental health acute care team since April 2010.

As part of her employment at the hospital, Simpson had to sign a Queensland government declaration that stated information about patients of a health facility would not be provided to a third party without the permission of that patient.

The court heard Mackay Hospital and Health Service received a complaint from a woman alleging Simpson “had used her position as a social worker within the hospital to unlawfully and inappropriately access medical records”.

It was further alleged Simpson used information from the restricted computer systems to write a letter “to the presiding judge in a family court matter” involving the woman and the father of her children.

Hospital social worker Sarah Maree Simpson (left) and a man rush from Mackay courthouse after she was fined $2000 and a conviction was recorded for unlawfully accessing a restricted computer.

The court heard the matter was forwarded to the Crime and Corruption Commission before being referred to Queensland Police Service.

On this occasion, Magistrate Damien Dwyer ordered the court be closed part way through as the case dealt with protected information that could not be heard in an open court.

The case was adjourned to August 4.

When the case was rementioned on Wednesday, this publication requested permission to be present to be able to fully report on the outcome.

Mr Dwyer asked Simpson’s solicitor Brigid Paterson if she wanted the court closed, to which she said yes and he granted the request.

However this publication requested and was granted permission to print Simpson’s outcome, which was a $2000 fine and a conviction recorded.

Outside court, a man who accompanied Simpson during her sentencing grabbed a waiting journalist’s phone.

Under Queensland law, journalists are able to stand on public land and take photos of people arriving at or leaving court.

The journalist did not give the man permission to touch her or her property.

Security intervened in the matter, the phone was returned and no action was taken. He and Simpson rushed from the courthouse.