‘Fraud is a way of life’: woman refused bail after allegedly forging medical certificates
An Illawarra mum has been refused bail, after it’s alleged she forged doctor’s certificates to get out of community service work.
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A pregnant Illawarra mum, who had the words “fraud is not a crime, it’s a way of life” written on her bathroom mirror, has been refused bail, after allegedly forging medical certificates to get out of community service work.
Jade Killin, who is three-months pregnant with her third child, broke down in tears as Magistrate Robert Walker refused her application for bail on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after she was arrested by the Lake Illawarra Tech Crime and Anti-Theft Units and charged with 14 offences, including making false documents and using the same documents.
The 32-year-old is accused of creating false medical certificates and forging her doctor’s signature to excuse herself from community service work with Wollongong Community Corrections.
According to documents tendered to the court, Killin allegedly supplied fraudulent medical certificates on four occasions, which stated she was suffering from either a “respiratory infection” or “severe morning sickness”.
Wollongong Community Corrections’ raised suspicions about Killin’s medical certificates on October 31, when they realised it looked different to the others she’d allegedly sent in September.
Community Corrections contacted the doctor who signed the medical certificate, who informed the organisation he had not issued nor signed the alleged certificates in September, but that he had issued the fourth and final one in October.
Police were notified and on Monday, officers conducted a search at the home Killin shares with her partner and children.
During the search, police allegedly found several “incriminating” items, including 50 bank cards in various names, driver’s licences in various names and several with Killin’s face printed on them, but no name.
Above Killin’s bedhead police allegedly found a “fraud to do list” sticky-taped to the wall.
According to court documents, the list featured descriptions like “Monday: try to do two payslips each for 10 names”.
Saturday was allegedly “Servo Day”, where the plan was to “apply for fuel cards in five different names with all companies” while Sunday was “LOANS DAY!”, where Killin allegedly planned to “apply for loans using five different names”.
As well as the “to-do list”, police will allege Killin had scribbled the words “fraud is not a crime, it’s a way of life,” on her mirror in pink lipstick.
As well as locating a bag full of shredded documents, court documents allege police also found a small amount of ice and cannabis.
After her arrest yesterday, Killin was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station, where she refused to be interviewed and unlock her phone for police, the court heard.
During her appearance on Friday, Killin’s defence lawyer argued for her release, noting she was in the early stages of her pregnancy and that jail would not be a “ healthy environment for her”.
But, due to her criminal record, Magistrate Walker declined her application for bail.
The matter will return to court later this month.