More jail time for fraudster
Woman already behind bars for ripping off more than $700k from Transport Ministry
Awoman jailed for defrauding the Transport Ministry of more than $700,000 has had an extra two months added to her jail time for benefit fraud.
Joanne Harrison, 50, appeared via audio-visual link in the Kaikohe District Court yesterday for sentence after previously pleading guilty to defrauding the Ministry of Social Development of just over $6400.
She admitted to two charges of using a document for pecuniary ad- vantage and one of obtaining a benefit by deceit.
In February, Harrison was sentenced to three years and seven months for defrauding the Transport Ministry of $726,000. In sentencing her yesterday, Judge Simon Maude said he had to take that into consideration and decided a two-month jail term cumulative on the existing sentence was appropriate.
He said Harrison deliberately planned the falsification of papers submitted to the Ministry of Social Development and there were no mitigating factors.
Harrison had falsified a wage slip to show she was earning $482 a week, so she could claim a domestic purposes benefit, when she was earning $1842 a week as a manager at the Department of Corrections.
When interviewed about the paperwork, Harrison had told investigators that she made a mistake.
The offending took place while she was living in Waimate North, near Kerikeri, between December 2008 and April 2009.
She had previously worked at the Far North District Council as a senior manager from June 2007 to October 2008.
Police are applying to seize her former home at Waimate North under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act. They have also applied to seize jewellery and vehicles.
The house was transferred to her husband, Patrick Sharp, in July 2016, shortly after the Serious Fraud Office launched its investigation.
Lawyer for the ministry Sheryl Manning said Harrison’s fraud was detected only after government agencies shared information during their investigation of her.
Ms Manning said the starting point should be nine months’ jail.
Harrison’s lawyer, Nathan Bourke, said a probation report described Harrison as a model prisoner.
Judge Maude said sentences varied and there was no similar case. He said a person with dependent children who committed benefit fraud might expect some leniency compared with someone who committed fraud through greed.