Fiona Morris allegedly defrauded Chris O’Brien Lifehouse cancer charity
The woman at the centre of an alleged $100k cancer ruse against a charity is now asking to be let off from potential time in jail for mental health reasons.
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A Sydney nurse who allegedly conned her healthcare employer into believing she had cancer, defrauding them out of thousands, is attempting to have the case thrown out on mental health grounds.
Fiona Mhairi Morris, 35, is accused of swindling close to $100,000 out of Chris O’Brien Lifehouse in Sydney’s inner west under the guise she was suffering from the deadly disease the charity itself works tirelessly to treat.
Morris’ web of alleged lies came to a halt when a police investigation saw her charged with three counts of dishonestly gaining an advantage by deception last year.
Morris previously survived a cancer scare and is alleged to have told her employer the disease had returned.
The Harrington Park woman is alleged to have concocted the illness in 2017 and kept up the ruse until Lifehouse was alerted to the alleged fraud late last year.
Court documents state Morris allegedly told the company about her cancer who then employed another nurse to fill in for her while she said she was receiving treatment.
The extra nurse cost the charity a further $88,893 according to court records.
The documents also state Morris falsely claimed to have cancer to gain a promotion and a salary increase of more than $10,000.
Appearing in Newtown Local Court on Monday, her lawyer said she would be applying to have the case dismissed on mental health grounds.
If that fails she will be sentenced when the case next returns to court later this year, according to court records.
The Chris O’Brien Lifehouse in Camperdown has been at the forefront of treating Sydney’s cancer patients for over a decade.
So groundbreaking has its work in recent years been that its CEO was named as one of the 20 most influential people in the inner west.
EARLIER
Reported by Anton Rose on November 3, 2020
A woman who police allege faked being sick for three years and conned her employer out of more than $100,000 has faced court for the first time.
Fiona Mhairi Morris, 35, has been charged over the alleged drama at cancer not-for-profit Chris O’Brien Lifehouse in Sydney’s inner west, allegedly claiming to have the disease and scoring a promotion.
Police allege Morris swindled Lifehouse, based in Camperdown, out of $27,000 in sick leave and leave pay under the guise that she needed time off for the illness.
Police will also allege the company forked out more money on an additional nurse to help Morris, who herself is a nurse from Scotland.
The Harrington Park woman is alleged to have concocted the illness in 2017 and kept up the ruse until Lifehouse staff were alerted to the alleged fraud in July of this year.
She has since been sacked.
Morris previously survived a cancer and is alleged to have told her employer the disease had returned.
Online profiles of Morris show her raising tens of thousands for bone cancer in the UK.
Court documents state Morris allegedly told the company about her cancer who then employed another nurse to fill in for her while she said she was receiving treatment.
The extra nurse cost the charity a further $88,893 according to court records.
The documents also state Morris falsely claimed to have cancer and was promoted to the role of clinical nurse specialist with a salary increase of more than $10,000.
She has been charged with three counts of dishonestly gain a financial advantage by deception and appeared briefly at Newtown Local Court on Tuesday.
Her lawyer told the court there was no indication whether NSW Police or the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions would be taking the case and asked for an adjournment.
She sat quietly and remained silent as she navigated her way to a waiting taxi outside the courthouse.
Her matter was adjourned to be heard back in the same court on December 1.
NEWS TIPS: ANTON.ROSE@NEWS.COM.AU
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