Bobbie Joanne Albertella: Accused Kelso aged-care fraudster smiles leaving court

A black-listed aged-care worker beamed as she left court in Townsville for her first appearance after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from her clients.

Bobbie Albertella (top right), 52, has been charged with fraud and stealing offences. Picture: Caitlan Charles

A black-listed aged-care worker beamed as she left court in Townsville for her first appearance after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from her clients.

Bobbie Joanne Albertella, 52, fronted Townsville Magistrates Court on Tuesday after being charged last month with 17 offences, including 16 fraud charges and one count of stealing.

The Kelso woman — who got sacked from The Good Shepherd Home in Annandale — allegedly stole cash from her elderly patients and racked up thousands of dollars in multiple transactions on a patient’s credit card in November and December last year.

Bobbi Robertson, daughter of one of Albertella’s alleged victims Rhonda Robertson, said her elderly mother’s health had rapidly declined, and she fears she’ll die before the matters are resolved in court.

Bobbi Robertson and her mum Rhonda Robertson, 68. Picture: Supplied

She said the 68-year-old — who suffers from vascular dementia, liver disease and heart failure — had since been removed from The Good Shepherd Home and placed into hospital care.

Ms Roberston said she was furious to learn her “vulnerable” mum had allegedly been taken advantage of.

“I was so angry I was shaking,” she said.  

Albertella’s defence lawyer, Victoria McCully of Strategic Lawyers, told the court on Tuesday they had just received a QP9 (police court brief) and requested a four-week adjournment.

Magistrate Peter Smid adjourned the matter to February 27.

Bobbie Albertella, 52, has been charged with fraud after allegedly stealing money from elderly people at the aged care centre where she worked.

Albertella is the first person in the nation to be permanently banned from working in the sector under new federal legislation that came into effect last December.

Under the new reform, the name and location of those on banning orders will also be published to a public register for all to see.

According to the register, Albertella was “permanently” prohibited from being involved in “any type of aged care” as of January 1.

Leonie O’Neill, director of care at The Good Shepherd Home, said they terminated Albertella’s employment immediately after finding out about her charges.

“The Good Shepherd Home terminated that person’s employment on the 29th December 2022 immediately following notification of her arrest however she had not worked at the facility since the 7th December 2022,” she said.

Originally published as Bobbie Joanne Albertella: Accused Kelso aged-care fraudster smiles leaving court