Man Lied About Qualifications For Job

A former Qantas Airways mechanic who lied about his qualifications to get the job is likely facing what a judge indicated will be a substantial prison term.

New South Wales Judge Mark Merien said, "This is someone who not only was carrying out maintenance on Qantas jets carrying large numbers of people, but was actually certifying work done by other people. It's the potential of the harm that could have been done."

Timothy McCormack, 27, pleaded guilty last September to fraud in obtaining the job with Qantas. McCormack passed himself off as a Civil Aviation Safety Authority-licensed maintenance engineer and was employed by the airline for 10 months, certifying the airworthiness of Qantas 747s.

Sydney Jacobs, lawyer for the defense, described his client as a disturbed individual who attempted to live in a "perfect parallel universe. My client is trying to create for himself this mythological place where he had greater status and where he could in fact hide from his utter self-loathing."

Testifying to the court, a psychologist who evaluated McCormack described him as a "pathological liar," The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

McCormack's sentencing is expected on December 17.

FMI: www.qantas.com.au, www.casa.gov.au