It said that Timothy Leslie McCormack had personally conducted or signed off on dozens of maintenance cheques on Qantas planes.

  McCormack was appearing in court after pleading guilty this September to 42 charges including forging a maintenance engineers'licence.

  New South Wales District Court,McCormack's defence lawyers produced the reference purportedly from Senator Heffernan without discussing its contents and without explaining the 27 years old's connection to the Liberal senator.

  Crown prosecutor Paul MacGuire objected to part of the reference,saying Senator Heffernan had inappropriately"expressed medical opinion."

  Senator Heffernan could not immediately be reached for comment,the report added.