A three year prison sentence has been handed down to Mr Peter Keniry at Taunton Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of fraud and impersonating a veterinary surgeon.
With convictions dating back to 1986 for fraud in South Africa and four previous convictions in the UK for practising as an unregistered vet, his most recent deception came to light when he used the identity of a registered veterinary surgeon to gain employment at a veterinary practice in Somerset in 2015, during which time he carried out a number of procedures on animals.
It was at this time that he raised the suspicions of a veterinary professional who reported him to the RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons). Michael Hepper, a Chief Investigator at the organisation then investigated and handed evidence and a statement to the local police force.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, said, “Mr Keniry was known to the RCVS as we have assisted in previous police investigations into him for similar offences. As with recent cases, Mr Keniry impersonated a legitimate member of the veterinary profession using fraudulent documentation and this is why we have previously published photographs of him to raise awareness with veterinary practices and to try and stop him being employed in the future.”
Ferguson concluded, “We believe that Mr Keniry is a threat to animal health and welfare. He is a repeat offender and so we are glad that he has been handed a significant custodial sentence. While sophisticated and convincing fraudsters like Mr Keniry can be very difficult to prevent, we would urge veterinary practices to be vigilant.”
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