Joel Shaw Van Stokrom forged doctor’s certificates to scam $30k from TAC
A SCAMMER who forged almost a dozen dodgy doctors certificates and ripped off the TAC of more than $30,000 has escaped a jail sentence.
South East
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A SCAMMER who ripped off the TAC of more than $30,000 by forging 11 dodgy doctor’s certificates has escaped jail.
The Frankston man was caught out robbing the commission after an alert investigator noticed some of his medical paperwork was signed very poorly.
Joel Shaw Van Stokrom pleaded guilty to two fraud-related charges at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court last week.
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The court heard the now 26-year-old was involved in a traffic accident in February last year.
After being checked over by a doctor, the TAC accepted his claim upon condition that he continued to provide proof that was unable to work.
Every month since then he has submitted a doctor’s letter, but in February this year an investigator became suspicious of the writing and looked into his case.
The sleuth rang Shaw Van Stokrom’s doctor who said he had stopped issuing certificates in April 2017, as by then he was okay to work.
A quick check of his bank account revealed he had been receiving a salary from an excavation company at the same time as bagging money from the TAC.
The work involved was manually intensive, and Shaw Van Stokrom should not have been claiming as he was fit and active.
In court his defence lawyer said he was genuinely remorseful, and the court process had been a salutary experience.
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He said he was suffering mental health issues at the time due to stresses in his personal life, and the money was used to pay bills and not fund a lavish lifestyle.
Magistrate Sharon McRae said normally she would jail someone in persistent and serious fraud cases like this.
“Fraud on the TAC has harmful and hidden consequences,” Ms McRae said.
“It was a lot of money, over a period of time.
“It is lineball whether he ought to go to jail or not.”
But she said Shaw Van Stokrom’s excellent prospects of rehabilitation, his young age and no prior history of offending were substantial mitigating factors.
He was convicted, placed on a 12-month community corrections order, must do 150 hours of unpaid work and attend mental health counselling.
He must also pay $31,700 back to the TAC.
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