Jailer to get trial date

One of four Pilbara prison officers accused of fraud for attempting to gain subsidised housing assistance he was not entitled to will find out his trial date next week. The Pilbara News reported last month that John Carton had pleaded not guilty to attempting to gain benefit by fraud, while Jasmine Hepi, Kerrie Garstone, and Toni Van Den Berg have been charged concerning alleged rorting of the Government Regional Officers Housing scheme in Karratha. It is alleged Mr Carton attempted to gain subsidised housing despite owning property in the region, while Ms Hepi has been accused of gaining benefit by fraud to the value of $71,180 for GROH benefit claims made since 2018. Ms Hepi appeared in Karratha Magistrate’s Court on July 22, when her bail conditions were altered to allow her to visit her grandfather in New Zealand after he had a heart attack. Ms Garstone has been accused of fraud worth $59,359 for GROH benefits from 2015, while Ms Van Den Berg has been charged with multiple counts of fraud totalling $298,128 for GROH benefits from 2014. Mr Carton appeared before the Karratha Magistrate’s court last Wednesday for his trial allocation date, with his lawyer Kate Crispe seeking a two-day trial. Magistrate Edward De Vries said he was loathe to schedule a two-day trial. Mr Carton will next appear in court on Wednesday.