Kalbarri woman Krystle Maigan Westwood to stand trial on COVID fraud charge

A Kalbarri woman is expected to stand trial after she was accused of attempting to bribe a Geraldton pharmacist to falsify her COVID vaccination records. Krystle Maigan Westwood, 34, appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court on Thursday after being charged with one count of inducing a person to do an unlawful act by fraud. Magistrate Angus Hockton read the charge, to which Ms Westwood pleaded not guilty. In a previous court appearance, police prosecutors said they would allege Ms Westwood offered Geraldton pharmacist Mahmoud Elshwekh an “unspecified” sum of money to not give her a vaccine but record that he had on November 8. The pharmacist is alleged to have refused and the woman left the premises. Ms Westwood was later arrested by police in Kalbarri. It is understood Ms Westwood has received at least one COVID vaccination since she was charged. She will appear in court again on February 7, when the matter is expected to be set down for trial.