An Adelaide woman who "exploited" a vulnerable person to take a COVID-19 vaccine in her name to keep her job has been fined almost $8,000 for the crime.
Susan Louise Clarke, 53, pleaded guilty to deceiving another person to benefit herself in the District Court.
She paid a 57-year-old woman – who had multiple disabilities and relied on support workers — $500 to have the Pfizer vaccination for her so she could keep her job with the RAA in January 2022.
Clarke lost her job in March 2022, when her offending came to light.
During sentencing, Judge Geraldine Davison said Clarke developed "the irrational belief that the vaccination would get into your cells and trigger breast cancer".
"You did a lot of research in relation to the vaccination and spoke to people who had had the Pfizer vaccine," she said.
"You went out into your own garden hoping to get bitten by a snake because you thought if you ended up in hospital then you would have a legitimate reason to delay your vaccination.
"You did not manage to achieve that end."
Clarke then drove with her husband to the Mount Barker clinic intending to have the vaccination, but decided to instead have a drink at a local hotel.
"You remained anxious in relation to the vaccination; you had a number of different options as to what you could do running through your head. This included getting a nurse to put the vaccination into a tissue or again going out and waiting for the snake," Judge Davison said.
"It was in this context that you thought about getting someone else to have the vaccination for you.
"It was then that you approached a person who was sitting on a seat outside the hotel having a cigarette.
"It must have been clear to you that she had disabilities and when you went to the vaccination clinic with her you pretended to be her carer."
Clarke asked the woman for her address and told her she would come to pick her up in three weeks' time for the next injection.
The woman later told a support worker what had happened and the matter was reported to police.
"Your behaviour in targeting a vulnerable individual when you knew nothing of her medical history or any complications that may arise as a result of her being vaccinated in this way was reprehensible," Judge Davison said.
"The very thought that you held your own opinion about the vaccination, but were prepared to expose another in these circumstances shows a callous disregard for her safety and wellbeing."
Clarke was fined $7,800 and ordered to pay another $1,000 in compensation.
She was also convicted for the crime.
