Whangārei physiotherapist Skye Renes sentenced to community work

Skye Renes sentenced to 200 hours community work after being found guilty of dishonesty charges. Photo / File

A Northland physiotherapist found guilty of three dishonesty charges relating to payment for treatments has been sentenced to 200 hours community work.

Skye Renes, 39, appeared before Judge Keith de Ridder in the Whangārei District Court for sentencing last Friday following a three-week trial last year when jurors found Renes guilty on two charges of obtaining by deception and one of dishonestly using a document for pecuniary advantage.

Not guilty verdicts were returned on 20 charges of obtaining by deception.

The charges Renes, owner of Fizeo Works Physiotherapy in Raumanga, faced related to the time period between 2011 and 2016.

Lawyer Justin Wall said through the whole process Renes had experienced a "staggering fall from grace" and in essence her career was over.

He said Renes had been punished by the process and submitted conviction, and discharge was suitable.

Judge de Ridder said the system was "trust based" and was totally reliant on the accuracy and truth provided by those submitting information into the computer system.

He said at the time of the offending there was not much in the way of checking but understood that had changed since.

"This was deliberate and planned offending. Those who don't play by the rules can expect the courts to denunciate and and deter such crimes," Judge de Ridder said.

He said Renes had never appeared before the courts apart from this lapse of judgement.
He sentenced Renes to 200 hours community work.

Judge de Ridder said it was difficult to calculate the amount of money involved and he would only be guessing and amount so did not make an order for reparation. He said ACC would have to file an application with the court.

During the trial there was evidence from witnesses working for ACC and physiotherapists and a large number of documents were presented as exhibits.

At the conclusion of the Crown case, Renes gave evidence and called one other witness for her case.

Renes blamed poor computer systems used to file information that were designed "on the fly" which became more difficult to follow over time.

She said treatments were provided and that there was an entitlement to be paid for that work.

The Crown case at trial was that Renes' actions were a deliberate course of conduct aimed at dishonestly obtaining money from ACC.

Among the list of people who provided treatment who were subsequently paid for by ACC, included physiotherapist assistants whose services were ineligible for payment through the government agency as they were unqualified, the Crown said.