Fraud in the name of love
alexandria.utting@news.com.au unconditional love from him,” she wrote. “I am horrified by my actions in terms of the charges against me. To this day I have no memory of taking the amount of funds.”
Documents showed Bartlem’s ex-husband of more than a decade did not know his wife was stealing. “He indicated ... they were ‘never rolling in cash’.”
Mr Bartlem was surprised to learn she worked only parttime “as she went to work everyday and he was a stay-athome dad to their daughter”.
A psychiatric report revealed Bartlem claimed she heard voices of two other woman. She attended a Gold Coast Baptist church, also studied counselling and said she wanted her life to “mean something”.
Former Robina Town Dental owner Alistair Henry said the practice was sold in 2011 because they believed it was struggling financially.
“We haven’t received a cent and want to warn other small business owners that someone who comes across as quite trustworthy can totally abuse your trust,” said Mr Henry.
Defence lawyer Mark Donnelly, of Kroesen and Co Lawyers, said his client was “very remorseful and had taken a lot of steps to turn her life around”.