Grocery boss in rip-off special

A CAIRNS supermarket manager used her position to scam thousands of dollars worth of free groceries.

However, Maria Lua Denijs’ unsophisticated offending was discovered and landed her with a six-month suspended jail sentence.

The 40-year-old single mother had been employed by Coles at Westcourt for 10 years and was in a supervisory role when, between March 4 and April 15 last year, she put through six fraudulent transactions totalling $2589.

“It is a gross breach of trust,” Magistrate Joe Pinder said.

“The employer, madam was paying you a wage to steal from them.”

Mr Pinder said the crime had a maximum penalty of 14 years jail, but labelled Denijs’ offending as unsophisticated.

“You processed the purchases and deleted the payments,” Mr Pinder said.

Cairns Magistrates Court was told her offending came to light through an anonymous tip to the store. “It was subsequently confirmed ... by CCTV footage, which showed you undertaking the fraudulent transactions and disposing of the transactions,” Mr Pinder said.

Denijs, who is currently working full-time at Earlville in a managerial role, pleaded guilty to fraud.

Her solicitor Richard Whitla said she had been under the care of a doctor since 2014.

“It doesn’t excuse the behaviour but in some way it puts it into some context,” Mr Whitla said.

He told the court his client had an unblemished criminal record. She was ordered to pay full restitution.

IT IS A GROSS BREACH OF TRUST. THE EMPLOYER WAS PAYING YOU A WAGE TO STEAL FROM THEM. MAGISTRATE JOE PINDER