Truckie guilty of fraud

A HEATHCOTE man has been ordered to repay $23,000 after being convicted for defrauding WorkCover.Paul White, 63, worked as a driver delivering water tanks for 12 months between May 2008 and May 2009.He was receiving full WorkCover benefits at the time.White appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates Court this week and pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $22,822 from WorkCover.In October 2003, White was injured while working as a truck driver.As a result he was unable to continue working and lodged a claim with WorkCover.In 2004 the application was accepted and he started receiving weekly payments.The court was told that in 2006 White’s wife registered a water-tank delivery business.Two years later WorkCover surveillance found that White had been working as driver, helping to deliver the tanks.WorkCover prosecutor Patrick McQuillen said that during the period between May 2008 and May 2009 White delivered and helped unload a number of tanks for various clients in the central Victoria area.In that year, total customer transactions were about $30,000, Mr McQuillen said.The court was told that White did not disclose he had been active in the business and deceived his GP into recommending that he was unfit for work. Defence lawyer Luke Docherty said White was willing to pay back the benefits in full.He said the family’s business was sporadic and the couple made only $10,000 for the year.White was sentenced to one month in jail, suspended for 12 months.