A fake paramedic with his own "mock ambulance" has been warned that he could face three years in jail if he turns up at another accident.
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In March last year, John Robert Cook appeared at a crash dressed in the regalia of a senior first aid officer. He drove a vehicle decked out in colours and patterns of an official vehicle, complete with blue lights and "medical ambulance" written down the side.
But it was all a sham by the man from the Queanbeyan area, according to the Health Care Complaints Commission for NSW.
"Mr Cook is not, and has never been, a registered paramedic or employee/affiliate of the NSW Ambulance Service," the watchdog ruled.
"In March 2021, Mr Cook was seen wearing a fake NSW Ambulance uniform designed to deceive the public that he was a NSW Ambulance officer.
"Whilst wearing the uniform, he was also seen driving a mock ambulance, namely a Nissan Patrol motor vehicle bearing the words 'Paramedic', 'Medical Response Unit', and 'Ambulance'.
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"The vehicle is privately registered to Mr Cook. Mr Cook was identified wearing the fake uniform whilst standing next to his mock ambulance at the scene of a road traffic crash in Royalla NSW."
On top of that, the watchdog said the deception was "wilful, planned and not as a result of any misunderstanding".
"He obtained a fake ambulance officer uniform and drove a vehicle that would have easily mislead members of the public into believing he was a registered ambulance officer. The public trusts that when someone says that they are an ambulance officer or paramedic that they have the qualifications and skills to provide safe care. Mr Cook's conduct put vulnerable people at risk and betrayed the trust of general public."
The commission said Mr Cook hadn't cooperated with its enquiry.
It ruled: "Mr John Robert Cook, a senior first aid officer, is permanently prohibited from providing any health services, either in paid employment or voluntarily, to any member of the public."
The penalty for breaking a prohibition order is $55,000 and/or three years imprisonment.
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Steve Evans
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
