SIX IN THE BIN

City manager jailed over unauthorised $ 309,000 Cowboys sponsorship deal

A FORMER Townsville business manager has been jailed for six years for stealing money from his company to sponsor the North Queensland Cowboys.

David James Clive ( left) was manag- ing Komatsu Townsville when he paid $ 309,311.70 for the sponsorship, which included access to a corporate box.

Townsville District Court was told Clive made 23 payments to the Cowboys between February 1, 2009, and November 29, 2010.

He had previously asked Komatsu’s head office for permission to sponsor the team, but his request was denied.

Clive was in court yesterday for sentencing on two counts of fraud.

Clive had also used Komatsu funds to make $ 132,110 in payments to another company, Townsville Demolitions, between December 9, 2007, and October 16, 2010.

Judge Clive Wall QC said Clive took advantage of his senior management position.

“Your offending amounted to a persistent and systematic abuse of trust,” he said.

“Your offending occurred over about three years and involved a gross breach of trust.

“You were a trusted manager at the time you made these fraudulent payments.”

The fraudulent payments totalled more than $ 440,000.

It was not revealed in court why Clive made the payments to Townsville Demolitions.

“The payments to Townsville Demolitions are somewhat of a mystery,” Judge Wall said. “He tells me he received nothing.”

Townsville Demolitions said it had done no work for Komatsu and the company was in the process of paying the money back to Komatsu.

Clive used his superannuation fund to pay back $ 235,000 of the Cowboys sponsorship fees to Komatsu.

Defence barrister Harvey Walters said his client was highly regarded in the business community and had paid back most of the stolen funds.

“There is genuine remorse on my client’s behalf,” he said.

“It’s not easy to come up with that amount of cash.

“He has an excellent work record and has contributed to both the business community and the community he lives in socially.”

Mr Walters said his client had no criminal history.

Clive did not show any emotion as his sentence was read out and was silent as he was led into custody.

Judge Wall sentenced him to six years prison for the fraud offences, with the prison terms to be served concurrently.

He will be eligible for parole on July 8, 2016, after spending 12 months behind bars.