Woman fined for pretending to be doctor at bike crash

Joanne Graham was returning home from Chester when she came across the accident

A woman has been fined £600 for pretending to be a doctor while trying to help a cyclist who had fallen from his bike.

Joanne Graham, 47, from Corwen, Denbighshire, said she was a doctor and suggested a helicopter should be called for the man.

Llandudno magistrates heard how she cut clothing from the man, who had a broken wrist and a superficial head injury.

Graham had denied falsely using the title of doctor, but was found guilty.

Magistrates heard how a former nurse, who was at the scene called the police after finding the her actions "odd".

Prosecutor Adam Warner said Graham, who came across the accident on her way home from Chester, cut the man's clothing and a chain around his neck.

But when questioned later by the police, Graham said she identified herself as a member of a mountain rescue team and believed people had assumed she was a doctor.

Graham told the court she had asked the cyclist if he needed any help, adding "I am a medic."

She told the court she was a safety officer, site medic, "incident commander" and a tree surgeon. But in her evidence, she would not reveal where.

The prosecution sought £70 compensation for the cyclist's jacket which he believed was "unnecessarily" cut from him by Graham.

She must also pay £810 in costs.