Scam artist forged GP’s report to claim damages

A scam artist who forged a doctor’s medical report as part of a personal injury claim has been successful in two previous personal injury claims.

At Ennis District Court yesterday, Tracy O’Connell, aged 33, of Cúl na Greine, Shannon, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to three charges arising from her claim that she suffered a personal injury after slipping on the wet floor of the toilets of the Crescent Shopping Centre in Limerick in 2015.

After hearing the evidence in the case, Judge Patrick Durcan said that in his almost five years as a district court judge, “this is one of the most worst cases of larceny and breaches of trust I have come across”.

Judge Durcan said that Ms O’Connell’s “scam” had abused her own GP, Dr Peter Flynn, by forging the medical report that was purported to be from him.

“A very serious wrong was committed in this case. Ms O’Connell has carried out a complete assault on the system of trust that operates in our legal system. She has completely torpedoed that process.”

In the case, the mother of one duped a solicitor, James Shanahan, to represent her in the claim after presenting him with the false medical report.

Mr Shanahan agreed to represent Ms O’Connell in her personal injury claim and initiated legal proceedings and also sent on the medical report to Dr Flynn for him to confirm its content.

Dr Flynn then alerted Mr Shanahan that the medical report was fraudulent. Det Hayes said Mr Shanahan made the insurance company in the case aware of the issue and the insurers in turn notified the gardaí.

Det Hayes said Ms O’Connell was able to draw up the three-page medical report from experience of her previous personal injury claims and from what she got from the internet.

Judge Durcan remanded Ms O’Connell on continuing bail to January 25.