A man who fraudulently altered a medical certificate to cover up a breach of bail conditions has been sentenced to three months in prison.
Matthew Allan Ward appeared in the Supreme Court in June for sentencing on charges of perverting the course of justice and breaching bail.
“In short, [Ward] was absent from his bail residence on 22 July, 2023, during curfew hours and subsequently forged a medical certificate from the Royal Hobart Hospital by altering the time of attendance,” Justice Stephen Estcourt said.
Justice Estcourt agreed with the state’s submission that the incident was at the “lower end of the scale” for the offence of perverting the course of justice.
He sentenced Ward, who had been in custody since April 17, to three months’ imprisonment and suspended the remaining time not already served for 12 months.
