Jail for $190k fraud

A FORMER director of a Gold Coast mining company doctored invoices so he could strip more than $190,000 from his company.

Anthony William Clough, 50, had been a director at Newland Resources for only about six months when he implemented the scheme in March 2011. No reason was given as to why he took the cash.

He pleaded guilty in 2014 but fled to NSW without being sentenced. It was not until he was sentenced in Newcastle last year for providing fake mining permits that he returned to the Gold Coast to face his two counts of fraud in the Southport District Court.

On Wednesday, Judge Catherine Muir sentenced him to four years prison to be suspended after he has served 11 months.

“This is serious, premeditated offending and you were in a significant position of trust as a director,’ she said.

Crown prosecutor Gary Churchill said Clough was appointed director of Newland Resources in October 2010 and was able to authorise invoices to be paid.

He said in March 2011 Clough set up a bank account in the name of one of their suppliers, Downward Drilling.

When he received an invoice he altered the invoice to increase the amount and changed the payment details to the bank account he set up.

Mr Churchill said Clough resigned in early April but did not tell Downward Drilling who then sent him another invoice.

“Clough altered the invoice again and submitted it,” he said.

In total, Clough was paid more than $190,000 that Newland Resources thought was being paid to Downward Drilling.

“He has committed a substantial dishonesty offence against his employer and he was in a significant position of trust as a director,” Mr Churchill said.

“The offending was obviously pre-planned in the weeks leading up to the fraud.”

Defence barrister Lincoln Crowley provided the court with a letter of apology from Clough as well as references from family members. He said Clough had not committed any offences since the fraud.

“For a large part of his life he had been law abiding and a professional who worked hard in his role,” he said.

Mr Crowley said Clough had worked at coal mining companies in Australia and internationally.