Monday 28 January 2013

Pharmacist Accused Of Scamming Sick Pensioner


A pharmacist deliberately duped a sick vulnerable pensioner into believing the government had dramatically increased the price of her medicines in a £5,500 four-and-a-half year scam, a court heard today.

Jaspal Singh Cheema, 45, (pictured) cashed a total of sixty-seven cheques for extra migraine and irritable bowel syndrome medication and then tried to talk the victim out of pursuing the prosecution against him, the Croydon Crown Court jury were told.

Cheema, of Cheyham Way, Sutton, boss of Imperial Pharmacy in nearby Epsom Road, cashed-in when the 65 year-old pensioner ordered extra doses of medicine when her prescription supply ran out.

"He has run the pharmacy with his parents for over twenty years and has known Florence Harrison since he took over and a relationship has grown. They get on very well," prosecutor Miss Shekinah Anson told the court.

"She had been buying this medication for many years, but in 2007 Mr. Cheema told her the prices had gone up and he has been overcharging her ever since. He told her the government had increased the prices and they were being passed on to her."

The inflated charges ranged from £16 to £350 for MigreLief  and Diocalm and were discovered by Mrs Harrison's unofficial carer.

"She noticed a number of large cheques had been paid out of the account and telephoned Mr. Cheema and accused him of stealing from a vulnerable woman and told him he would have to pay the money back."

Cheema initially protested that he had simply provided the medicine Mrs Harrison asked for, but on July 7, 2011 a £3,000 cheque was posted through her letterbox.

Despite this police were called, prompting action by the defendant. "He phoned Mrs Harrison and asked her to persuade her carer not to take the matter to court," added Miss Anson.

Cheema has pleaded not guilty to fraud in that between January 15, 2007 and July 11, 2011 he dishonestly made a false representation to Mrs Harrison with intent to make a £5,509 gain.

Trial continues……

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