Jail time in health fraud case
Contractors have been jailed over fraud involving a WA health service.
A contractor has been sentenced to more than two years in prison after fraudulently billing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in building maintenance contracts for through the North Metropolitan Health Service (NHMS).
It comes after John Bartliegh Fullerton, who was previously executive director of facilities management at NHMS, was accused of taking gratuities from 11 contractors for a decade.
Mr Fullerton allegedly accepted flights, accommodation, boozy lunches and extensive renovation work on his home in exchange for handing them ongoing work.
Building contractor Philip Wood was engaged by NHMS executive John Fullerton to renovate his home in 2015.
Mr Wood’s company was then awarded NMHS building maintenance contracts from 2015 through to 2017, invoiced at inflated rates.
The court heard tens of thousands of dollars went to Mr Wood, while the rest covered the costs of Mr Fullerton's home renovations.
District Court Judge Troy Sweeney said Mr Wood engaged in “sustained dishonesty” over a 16-month period.
He has been sentenced to two years and five months behind bars, and must serve 14-and-a-half months in jail.
Mr Wood has reportedly paid back $49,190 to the NMHS.
Several contractors charged after the investigation by the Corruption and Crime Commission, including Howzat Construction boss Liam Howard, who was this week sentenced to nine months in prison for 18 fraud counts.
Ian Tremain, of QED Environmental Services, has been fined $18,000.
Former Westside Fire Services managing director Anthony Williams pleaded guilty to seven charges of official corruption, after he paid for overseas flights and accommodation for Mr Fullerton. He has been handed a 19-month prison sentence.
Mr Fullerton has been granted more time to enter pleas to 47 charges against him, and will next face court on July 29.