$1.4 million theft sentencing

CHRISTCHURCH: A gambler who plundered more than $1.4 million from a dead fatherinlaw’s bank accounts was yesterday jailed for four and ahalf years.

Claire Elizabeth Quirke (43) was given authority to help with her then ailing father’s bank accounts and then later after his death in early August, 2016.

Her father, Robin Milligan, was a joint director with his wife, Shirley Milligan, of the Milligan’s Radio (1972) Ltd business.

When he died, the sole executor and beneficiary of his estate was his wife.

Quirke, married to 40yearold Edward James Quirke, was tasked to help with making certain payments, of a daytoday nature, from her dead father’s bank accounts.

But she allowed her husband Eddie to take over the handling of the funds.

At Christchurch District Court, the summary of facts shows that on August 1, 2016, Eddie Quirke logged into his fatherinlaw’s Milligan’s Radio Ltd bank account without authorisation and transferred $3000 into his own personal bank account.

That was the same day his fatherinlaw had died.

Three days later, another $3000 was transferred by Quirke into his bank account.

Between August 12 and September 13, 2016, Edward Quirke accessed his dead fatherinlaw’s business bank account on 10 more occasions and withdrew a total of $34,000.

The total amount taken out of the Milligan’s Radio account by Edward Quirke was $40,000.

A further $12,600 was withdrawn from Robin Milligan’s personal account by his soninlaw.

‘‘Between 20 September 2016 and 14 December 2017, Mr Quirke accessed another (BNZ) bank account in the name of Robin B Milligan on 76 occasions, withdrawing a total amount of $1,340,900,’’ the summary of facts says.

Shirley Milligan would only find out about the offending two years later in January, 2018.

She reported the matter to police.

Police investigations found that more than $560,000 was spent on gambling by Eddie Quirke, about the same amount on money transfers, more than $128,000 on assets and just over $121,000 in ATM withdrawals.

Claire Quirke’s personal bank account also received money transferred from her father’s accounts.

The couple declined to make a statement to police.

Judge Gilbert jailed Eddie Quirke for fourandahalf years and ordered him to pay $30,000 in reparations a by way of selling six vehicles he owned.

Claire Quirke’s defence counsel Nick Rout said she did not blame her husband entirely, but it was clear he was more to blame.

She was willing to undergo counselling, Mr Rout said.

Judge Gilbert sentenced Claire Quirke to eight months of home detention and also ordered her to pay an extra $30,000 reparation.