Northern Ireland

Lisburn man charged with defibrillator fraud

Keith Carlisle
Keith Carlisle Keith Carlisle

A former ambulance technician appeared has appeared in court accused of defrauding a Dutch medical supply company out of almost £10,000 of medical equipment.

Appearing at Lisburn Magistrates Court via videolink from police custody, 40-year-old Keith Carlisle spoke only to confirm that he understood the single charge against.

Carlisle, from Tyrone Drive in Lisburn, was charged with one count of fraud by false representation in that between March 30 and April 13 this year, he is alleged to have ordered medical equipment from Medisol, Holland “under a false name....to make a gain for himself or to cause loss” to the Dutch company.

Recounting the background to the offence, a police constable told the court officials at Medisol contacted the PSNI a few days ago to report their suspicions that a £9,500 bill had not been paid.

That bill related to medical equipment, including seven defibrillators, which had been delivered to Carlisle’s address in Lisburn.

The order was placed in the name of Marcus Stewart and the court heard that when they items were delivered on 17 April, a “Marcus Stewart” had signed for them.

The officer said police enquires revealed that Carlisle was the “sole occupant” of the property at Tyrone Drive and he was arrested on Thursday when police executed a search warrant at his home.

During the search operation, two defibrillators and other medical equipment, branded with the Medisol name and logo, were uncovered.

Arrested and interviewed, Carlisle conceded that he had medical training as an ambulance driver and technician but denied involvement in ordering the equipment which had been sent from Holland.

“He denied the allegations, denied using a fictitious name, said that he didn’t accept the delivery,” said the officer.

Defence counsel Joel Lindsay said that Carlisle had not been living at the Lisburn address for about a month as he had moved to Antrim to help to care for his mother and that Carlisle has claimed “he can provide proof there was a Marcus living with him.”

“My concern is the length of time this investigation could take,” submitted the lawyer, “the police will have to examine phones and computers to check for correspondence so he could end up being in custody for a period of time for a charge that could end up going nowhere.”

District Judge Amanda Henderson said while the “current circumstances give this a more sinister flavour,” she was prepared to grand bail but with certain conditions.

Freed on his own bail of £500, she told Carlisle he would only be freed once police had approved a proposed bail address and that when he was released, he had to observe a curfew and is “not to be involved in the ordering of medical supplies.”

His case was adjourned to June 8.