Thieving council staffer gets parole

A former sports centre manager jailed for stealing $384,666 from Hastings District Council has been granted parole but with strict conditions.

Opal Taylor, 62, was released on parole this month after serving 16 months of a 21⁄2-year jail sentence for fraud.

Taylor, a former manager of the Hastings Sports Centre, last year pleaded guilty to 14 charges of fraud, and admitting taking $384,666 for personal use over 12 years.

She appeared before the Parole Board at Auckland Region Women’s Correction Facility on October 3. The board noted that Taylor had been well behaved in prison, had a low risk of reoffending and had completed all required rehabilitation.

‘‘Ms Taylor spoke well to the board. She told us that she is hoping for a better future, that she has lowered her standards, that she has changed her thought patterns and has learned the danger of not being emotionally healthy,’’ the board said.

She was released on October 14 with conditions. These included a requirement to obtain written approval of a probation officer before starting a job, not to give any financial or business advice to anyone, and not to have any role in the affairs of any business, trust or company.

Taylor started working at the centre in 2001 on a casual basis but took up the manager’s role in March 2003.

Before working for council, Taylor had been involved in running the Hawke’s Bay Paraplegic and Physically Disabled Association Incorporated (known as Parafed HB).

The association had largely ceased to operate but its bank account was still open and was operated by Taylor.

In March 2017, the council undertook a review of all its services, including its income and expenditure. The review revealed suspicious invoices from Parafed HB for cleaning and transport expenses at the centre, which had been paid by council.

It transpired that over 12 years and 8 months, Taylor filled out and submitted 195 false invoices totalling $537,683.

Further analysis showed that some cleaning and transport expenses had been genuine. This amounted to $153,017.