Plumber misused work fuel card
A man who used his employer’s fuel card to help fund a New Year’s road trip never turned back up for work.
John-Paul William Green was employed as a plumber for Garner Holdings Ltd, which is based in New Plymouth.
As part of his job, the 35-yearold was given a Mobil fuel card to use for work purposes, along with a Galaxy 6 cellphone, worth $1029.
The summary of facts said between December 9, 2016 and January 5, 2017, Green unlawfully used the fuel card 22 times, purchasing ‘‘unknown personal items’’ to the tune of $1246.76 at Mobil services station in New Plymouth, Warkworth, Pukekohe, Red Beach and Oteha Valley.
The items ranged from about $3 to $110 a time and none of them were work related.
The purchases made at the Auckland based service stations were all made during the Christmas break, when the plumbing business was shut for the holiday season.
On January 9, 2017, Green failed to turn back up to work.
His employer attempted to get hold of him and had made an appointment with Green to come to the office and hand in his phone but the defendant failed to show up.
On March 22, 2017 Green also committed theft after a petrol drive off from the BP Powderham in New Plymouth.
During Thursday’s hearing in the New Plymouth District Court, Green pleaded guilty to the 25 fraud and theft related charges. Lawyer Nathan Bourke said Green had not had any convictions since 2006.
Green was convicted of the charges and ordered to pay reparation of $2275.75 to his former employer. An additional reparation order of $108.43 for the stolen petrol was also imposed.
He will also have to complete 175 hours of community work.
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