Timboon Hospital boss claimed 'gang rape' to get out out of work

Gerrard Sheehan, 66, was the boss of the service for more than six years until his resignation in May 2020.

He pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Friday, September 22, to obtaining property by deception.

The court heard he took time off work on January 31 and February 6, 2019, after claiming he had to fly to Sydney to be with his wife who had been gang raped.

An investigation later revealed Sheehan had never left his home address in Geelong and there was no report made in relation to the allegations against his wife.

The main dishonestly claimed $3096.24 in wages.

The court heard the offending pre-dated serious deception offences that Sheehan had already pleaded guilty to in Geelong Magistrates Court in July.

That related to him fraudulently obtaining $70,000 in benefits by falsely claiming he was injured in a car accident when he swerved to hit a kangaroo. He was placed on a two-year correction order in July, which involves him doing 300 hours of community work.

On Friday Alex Good, representing Sheehan, said his client's report to the hospital about his wife was indicative of "someone suffering from some sort of serious mental delusion".

He said his client was doing well on the correction order.

Magistrate Simon Guthrie said the offending was "such a breach of trust in a position of power and control".

"It really is serious offending," he said.

The magistrate accepted the matter pre-dated the offending Sheehan had already been sentenced over.

He placed the man on a 12-month undertaking to be of good behaviour.

Sheehan was also ordered to pay restitution to Timboon and District Health Service.

IN OTHER LOCAL NEWS:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: