In Australia, former ICSA director awaits sentence in client’s death case
In Australia, former co-director of Integrity Care SA (ICSA) Amy June Collins is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to a Category 1 reckless conduct charge under the Work Health and Safety Act. This is the most serious offence under that law. The case is connected to the death of the company’s client, Ann Marie Smith, in April 2020, ABC News Australia reports.
Smith had cerebral palsy and required constant care. According to the source, for the year before her death, she remained in a wicker chair around the clock. She died from malnutrition, multiple organ failure, severe septic shock and other complications related to her condition.
Initially, Collins and another ICSA co-director, Alison Virgo, were charged with criminal negligence. Those charges were later dropped, and Collins pleaded guilty to a less serious charge in August.
Drug allegations
In court documents obtained by ABC, the prosecution stated that it had evidence of Collins using drugs in 2019–2020. According to the documents, a recording from a listening device in the dining room of her home captured Collins saying she had had a problem with methamphetamine about 12 months before the recording and that after an intervention she was “now okay”.
The prosecution also referred to an interview with Virgo, who said Collins mainly used “ice” — methamphetamine. According to the version set out in the documents, this became apparent to ICSA employees in late 2019 due to Collins’ irregular behaviour. Following an intervention, she was asked not to come to the company office and to seek help. During a police search of her home, the prosecution said, five LSD tabs and a substance confirmed to contain cocaine and methamphetamine were also found.
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Transactions from the company account
The prosecution stated that Collins used an ICSA debit card for gambling. According to court documents, between August 2018 and February 2019, 164 payments were made from ICSA’s Westpac account to Direx Limited Cyprus, totalling about $15,306.46. The documents state that the company likely provided interactive gambling services.
During sentencing submissions, Collins’ defence lawyer Chad Jacobi KC said there was no causal link between drug use, gambling and the offence to which his client pleaded guilty. Collins was not charged with criminal offences related to the prosecution’s allegations of drug use and gambling.
In an apology letter to Judge Ian Press, Collins wrote that she feels guilty over Smith’s death and that thoughts of what Smith endured bring her to tears. The prosecutor said the letter did not fully acknowledge Collins’ own contribution to failing to fulfil her duties as a director. The District Court will consider further sentencing submissions next month.
Smith’s carer, Rosa Maria Maoine, previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter by criminal negligence. In March 2022, she was sentenced to imprisonment for at least five years.
