Ex-cop stole $486,000 from hapu¯

A former police officer fleeced just under half a million dollars from a Taranaki hapu¯ , it has now been agreed.

Shaun Joseph Keenan will be sentenced in May for stealing $486,045.71 from Nga¯ ti Te Whiti Whenua Topu Trust while he was employed as the organisation’s chief executive officer.

The agreed figure follows nearly two years of dispute over how much Keenan stole.

In June 2017 a representative charge of theft by a person in a special relationship was brought against him, but that charge was later withdrawn and 57 new theftrelated charges were laid in March 2018.

Keenan, who took up the role with Nga¯ ti Te Whiti in 2011 after leaving the New Zealand police force following 21 years of service, admitted 49 of the charges but pleaded not guilty to eight and elected a judge-alone trial.

The offending had been discovered, then referred to police, after an internal investigation revealed discrepancies in the trust’s accounts.

Following a full forensic assessment of trust accounts, the prosecution alleged Keenan stole about $630,000 from the hapu¯ , which he is affiliated to.

However, there had been ongoing dispute between counsel with regards to the amount of money involved in the offending.

Yesterday, Keenan appeared in New Plymouth District Court where the eight charges he had denied were withdrawn by the Crown.

Prosecutor Justin Marinovich also sought amendments be made to the quantum of eight charges Keenan had pleaded guilty to, and withdrew a further three admitted charges.

Marinovich said the other 38 charges would remain as they are. Defence lawyer Susan Hughes QC told the court both counsel were in agreement on the amendments. She requested a full presentence report, one of which would consider the option of home detention, and said Keenan was prepared to attend a restorative justice conference. Judge Gregory Hikaka ordered the report, as well as one relating to reparation, and asked for community and home detention options be considered within it.

But he warned Keenan: ‘‘That’s not an indication of how things might turn out on the day, it simply provides a whole range of options to the court.’’

Marinovich advised there would be multiple victims who wished to address the court, and so requested two hours be set aside for the sentencing hearing.

Judge Hikaka granted the request and remanded Keenan on bail for sentencing on May 29.

Prosecutor Justin Marinovich advised there would be multiple victims who wished to address the court.