A woman who injected a patient while falsely claiming to be a medic at the SsangYong Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials last year has been sent to prison for four years.
Cassandra Grant, of Mulberry Walk, Bristol, was sentenced for fraud and assault, at Oxford Crown Court on 20 July.
The 39-year-old had pleaded guilty to one count each of fraud and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Blenheim, for claiming to be a medical professional and injecting a patient, at a hearing at the same court on 9 May.
Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Tim Hawley, of Thames Valley Police, said: “Grant attended the event where she falsely claimed to be a medical professional and therefore committed fraud by false representation.
“While falsely claiming to be a medical professional, Grant then gave a patient an intravenous injection of an anti-sickness drug and was subsequently charged with assault.
“Grant’s actions were extremely dangerous, especially when you consider the years of training that medical professionals undertake before they are allowed to practice.
“I would like to thank all staff and officers who worked on the case as well as the Crown Prosecution Service for bringing the case to court.”
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A Blenheim spokesman said Grant was part of the event’s general volunteer force, not on the medical team.
‘He's an exceptional horseman who can be very proud of what he's achieved’
“Procedures were in place for appointing suitably trained staff to the event’s medical team,” she added.
“As soon as the organisers of the horse trials were made aware that someone might have been impersonating a medical professional at their event they referred the matter to the police.
“As a result of this investigation, the checking procedures of qualifications for skilled personnel have been revised and strengthened.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
