Tas woman charged with 129 counts of fraud for obtaining opioid scripts

A woman has been convicted of orchestrating an elaborate fraud, impersonating several people to obtain 129 illegal prescriptions from dozens of doctors across Tasmania. HER SENTENCE >>

A woman who impersonated eight different people to 51 different doctors across Hobart, Bothwell and Launceston to score opioid-prescription drugs has avoided jail, with a Tasmania judge stating she was at a “low-risk of reoffending”. Picture: iStock

A woman who impersonated eight different people to 51 different doctors across Hobart, Bothwell and Launceston to score opioid-prescription drugs has avoided jail, with a Tasmania judge stating she was at a “low-risk of reoffending”.

Jemica Louise Purdon, 35, pleaded guilty to 129 counts of fraud, each occurring on separate occasions between November 25, 2018 and April 25 2021.

Justice Kate Cuthbertson found Purdon attended general practitioners and claimed to be eight different people, using names of her family, friends and acquaintances to obtain opioid prescriptions such as “oxycodone, tapentadol, tramadol or medications containing codeine”.

Oxycodone is the generic name for a range of opioid pain killing tablets. Prescription bottle for Oxycodone tablets and pills on glass table with reflections

“The quantity of medication you obtained on each of those occasions ranged from 4 to 60 tablets,” Justice Cuthbertson said.

“During at least some of this time, you were being prescribed similar drugs by your regular GP.”

The prosecution submitted in this case that the use of the assumed names would make it difficult for a doctor to obtain the information “relevant to their compliance with the statutory duties”.

This includes the use of a statewide website which allows doctors to access information about substances dispensed from pharmacies for Tasmanian patients before they write out or dispense the prescription.

However, Ms Purdon’s offending was uncovered in November 2020 when Tasmania Police became aware that she had presented herself at a doctor’s surgery under a false name.

Police interviewed Purdon in November 2021 and confirmed her mobile number had been provided as a contact number at several clinics.

“I am told there is no evidence that you sold or trafficked the medications you obtained in this way,” Justice Cuthbertson said.

Justice Kate Cuthbertson at the Tasmanian Court of Criminal Appeal.

Justice Cuthbertson stated that Purdon’s offending stopped after her acceptance into the state’s Alcohol and Drug Service and “success on opioid replacement therapy”.

“The underlining theme of your version of events was that, while you accept responsibility for the fraudulent offending, you were enabled by it being so simple to commit,” Justice Cuthbertson said.

“You acknowledged the impact of your behaviour on others, including the doctors you deceived and the people whose names you used to obtain prescriptions.

“It is surprising to me how easy it was for you to carry out this fraud.

“The information before me shows that there were five general practitioners who were prepared to prescribe significant amounts of opioids to you on a reasonably frequent basis.

Supreme Court of Tasmania, Salamanca Place, Hobart, Tasmania. Picture: Richard Jupe

“In dealing with each of those doctors, you generally used the same, albeit false, name. This suggests a level of neglect of their statutory duties which arise when prescribing such medication.”

Justice Cuthbertson convicted and sentenced Purdon to six months imprisonment for all 129 charges, wholly suspended on the condition of good behaviour for two years.

Originally published as Tas woman charged with 129 counts of fraud for obtaining opioid scripts