A man who unlawfully claimed he was a paramedic at dangerous motocross events has been convicted to reflect the community's disapproval of those who impersonate medical practitioners.
Lachlan Gardner, 31, marketed himself as a paramedic through his company Event Health Services NSW and as an employee of another firm in 2023 despite being unregistered.
At a motocross event in western Sydney in May 2023, Gardner was present when a 10-year-old boy took a jump during a practice lap and crashed onto the ground, laying unconscious.
During a triple zero call, the operator did not give Gardner step-by-step instructions to take care of the boy after hearing he was a paramedic.
The youth regained consciousness after being put in the recovery position but was air-lifted to hospital where he was diagnosed with a brain bleed and cracked vertebrae.
At another event in May 2023 where Gardner was working, an eight-year-old boy came off his motorcycle landing on his back where the then unregistered "paramedic" administered pain medication.
The 31-year-old was convicted on Wednesday after a successful prosecution by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
He sat in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court supported by his husband.
In handing down the conviction along with a two-year community corrections order, Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis said it was a warning for those who planned on offending in a similar way.
There was an important public interest in recording convictions for these types of crimes to express community disapproval at those falsely passing themselves off as medical practitioners, the magistrate said.
He noted the motocross events Gardner attended typically involved dangerous activities and were held in isolated locations where those seriously injured would have to be airlifted to hospital.
Earlier on Wednesday, AHPRA's solicitor Kate Lockery argued those attending, the triple zero operator and others had placed trust in the 31-year-old because of his false claims.
He still held himself out as a paramedic in September 2023 despite knowing he was the subject of an AHPRA investigation, the court heard.
"I have the same qualifications as a paramedic, I’m just not registered," he told a customer.
However, Gardner only had some qualifications required by the Paramedicine Board of Australia, including first aid, pain management and emergency patient transport, Mr Tsavdaridis found.
Gardner pleaded guilty on November 22 to one count of holding himself out as a registered paramedic and two counts of using a title or description that indicated he was a qualified paramedic
The maximum penalty for these offences is a $60,000 fine and/or three years imprisonment.
The magistrate noted Gardner's remorse and insight into his actions and that he had been spurred to work in the healthcare sector after seeing his father unconscious as a boy.
Gardner had also been arrested for possession of a police uniform in 2016 after officers found a police hat in his home, the court was told.
He will be required to be on good behaviour for the next two years and was ordered to pay $5000 to cover AHPRA's legal costs.
The 31-year-old did not say anything to AAP outside court but hid his face with a laptop case passed to him by his husband.
