He’s taken all the dough

Pizza shop worker jailed for $160k supreme betrayal

A SACKED Darwin pizza chain worker has been jailed after he faced the NT Supreme Court for stealing more than $160,000 from his employer.

Paul Denis Mead, 37, was a Domino’s Casuarina manager when he used the company’s “Pulse” sales database to make 4528 false refunds to reduce transaction value and pocket the cash over almost six years.

Prosecutor David Morters said: “White collar criminals often get lighter penalties than people who break into homes and steal money.

“But this offending isn’t that different to if he broke into the victim’s home and stole from him on 4500 separate occasions.”

Mead pleaded guilty to stealing $166,000 – with $121,725 of the funds trans- ferred into his bank account – from Domino’s boss Nils Gornall, of Gohard Top End Pty Ltd, between January 2010 and November 2015.

The average amount stolen per transaction would have been $38.66.

Mr Morters said the victim had suffered financial and emotional consequences.

“The offender was a friend – he betrayed his employer's trust,” he said.

Mr Gornall said in a statement he received $20,000 from his insurer but the “master franchisor rubbed salt into the wound” charging the business $23,000 for royalties unpaid as a result of Mead’s crime.

Mr Gornall sold his Domino’s franchises last year.

Defence lawyer Ray Murphy said Mead, who worked at three “menial” jobs with low income after he was sacked from Domino’s, was unable to obtain stable employment until he became a qualified pest controller shortly before he was charged over the fraud in October, 2016.

He said his client had not made restitution.

“He was told he would be faced with prison,” Mr Murphy said.

Mr Morters said bank records showed he used the cash to support a lifestyle above his means.

Justice Stephen Southwood said: “This was a serious breach of trust.” He did not order restitution. Mead was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison, with nine months non-parole.