Bogus doctor had green beacon on car

5:21pm Tuesday 4th September 2007

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A bogus doctor who raced around the streets with a revolving green beacon on top of his car is facing a jail sentence.

Omid Chiang convinced neighbours he was a leading neurologist, loading his car with a difribillator, a fluorescent doctor's jacket and fake id.

Displaying a large "Doctor-on-call" sign in his windscreen Chiang avoided Brighton-and-Hove's much-lamented parking problems, pulling up where and when he pleased.

The health manager even dodged a speeding fine, conning magistrates into thinking he was a real GP.

He added insult to injury by claiming back more than £1,600 he said he had lost by employing a locum doctor to cover his "practise" while he was attending court.

But Chiang, of Brighton Marina, was finally unmasked after he sent the court a letter littered with spelling mistakes "assisting" he be compensated for his expenses in travelling to the case as well.

A judge yesterday told him to expect a custodial sentence.

A court was told how the incredible story began to unravel in March of last year when the 26-year-old activated a speed camera at Northm Bridge, Southampton, and the resulting photo showed his vehicle displaying an emergency beacon.

Chiang sent a letter to the safety camera unit claiming he was a BASICS emergency care doctor and enclosed photocopies of the permits he normally displayed.

He claimed he had been attending a doctors conference at the Grand Harbour Hotel when he responded to an out of hours call. As a result he had to dash from Southampton to Brighton where he said he had his practice.

Chiang rejected the offer of paying a fixed penalty fine and took his case to Southampton Magistrates Court where he denied speeding.

In evidence, he confirmed he was a doctor and he had been responding to an emergency call, producing a letter from a woman, Naomi Wilson, in support of his claim. It stated she had telephoned the surgery and then spoken to Chiang on his mobile phone to treat her four-year-old daughter.

The district judge convicted him of speeding but said she would neither endorse his licence, nor disqualify him. He then submitted letters and invoices from Cheviot Healthcare claiming £1,632.80 for locum GP cover for his practice and travelling expenses.

About a week later he wrote a further letter to the court detailing his expenses, adding, 'I must assist I am reimbursed for my out of pocket expenses. I fully respect any compensation will come from the public purse but I have always sought to minimise costs and bravely chose to represent myself in court...even though I was offered emple assistance from two of my patients.' However, subsequent enquiries revealed Chiang was an imposter who worked as a health care manager and had been seen driving around Brighton displaying a green flashing beacon and a doctor on call sign.

Wilson, it transpired, had been his girlfriend for 18 months.

Chiang was arrested and his car was found to contain two revolving green lights, several doctor on call signs. a flourescent jacket inscribed 'doctor' and a defirbilator. He conned neighbours into believing he was a neurologist.

Chiang told detectives he had lied under oath because he feared he would lose his job, even though he had a clean licence. He admitted boasting to people that he was a doctor because he felt 'ashamed' at his true occupation, and had used the signs for easier parking and to gain credibility.

He also admitted writing the letter signed Naomi Wilson.

Chiang, who lives at Sovereign Court, Brighton Marina Village, pleaded guilty at Southampton Crown Court yesterday to attempting to pervert the course of justice and attempting to obtain £1,632.80 from Southampton Magistrates Court.

He was bailed pending sentence on October 1 but was told by Judge John Boggis QC: "This is extremely serious and you must be prepared for a custodial sentence."

Wilson was arrested on suspicision of attempting to pervert the course of justice but no action has been taken against her.

Chiang has not been paid the cash he sought from the magistrates court.

Julian Hewitt, spokesperson for the Safer Roads Partnership for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said: "This sends out a clear message to drivers who may think they can get away with lying about their circumstances in order to escape prosecution or attract a lower sentence. The Partnership Investigation Team is expert in detecting such offences and will pursue and prosecute those who attempt to cheat the system."