Dawesville man fined $14k for giving fake documents during Working With Children check

A Dawesville man has been fined a total of $14,000 after providing fake documents to his employer during a Working With Children check.

The man, who worked at a South West sporting club, appeared in the Mandurah Magistrates Court last week and was found guilty of two counts of knowingly providing false information to his employer about his Working With Children Card.

The court heard the man was working in a key role in the club and was required to have a Working with Children Card to hold that position.

A Department of Communities investigation found that when required by the club’s committee to provide proof that he held or had applied to renew his Working With Children Card, he provided falsified documents - on two occasions - in an attempt to mislead the committee.

“The protection of children from harm is the primary focus for the Department of Communities and providing false information in connection with a Working with Children Check, whether it’s to the employer or the Department of Communities, is an offence and will be taken extremely seriously," Executive Director Regulation and Quality at Department of Communities Phil Payne said.

“This prosecution serves as a reminder to all people who are engaged in child-related work to ensure they hold a proper Working with Children Card, and that organisations must ensure due diligence when engaging a person in child-related work.”

For further information about the requirements of Working with Children Checks and the obligations of applicants and employers, people are urged to visit the Working with Children website at www.workingwithchildren.wa.gov.au.