Woman stole to start her own business

A woman stole more than $100,000 from her employer because she wanted to start her own business.

The woman, who has been granted interim name suppression, admitted 11 charges before Judge Murray Hunt in the Gore District Court yesterday.

The summary of facts, which was read to the court, said the woman began working as an office administrator and carried out general office duties for the firm in February 2014.

Between November 17, 2014, and October 20, 2016, she changed the bank account details on invoices 61 times, resulting in $78,846.62 being paid into her own account. Between January 22 and October 27, 2016, she altered the original names, particulars and amounts on her employee’s bank statements and presented them as original, resulting in $10,630.94 being paid into her own account.

The woman also rented a building from her employer to start her own business. Between November 2014 and December 2016 she altered the company’s general ledger showing she had made rent payments to the amount of $12,800, and between April and July 2016 she used the company’s account to pay the electricity bill on the building, which she was meant to pay, to a total of $841.01.

On March 13, 2016, a client of the building company made a payment of $8000 for work done by the company but the woman indicated it was a rent payment from her.

The total amount of offending was $111,118.57.

Her lawyer, John Fraser, told the court the woman had taken the money to start her own business and intended to pay it back when the business ‘‘took off.’’ The woman was a first offender and had health issues. It would not be possible for her to make a reparation payment in a lump sum, he said.

Judge Hunt remanded her on bail for sentence on November 29, but said she was not to take that as an indication of her final sentence and a sentence of home detention or jail would be considered.

Assault

Kevin Michael Desmond Curran, 63, was remanded on bail until November 29 for sentencing for assaulting a female on October 5.

Matthew James Waite, 27, farm worker, of Heriot, was sentenced to 100 hours’ community work and nine months’ supervision for common assault and behaving threateningly on February 18 and unlawfully being in a building, assaulting a female and common assault on June 25. A protection order was granted in relation to one of the victims.

Taina Anthony Barrington Tamou, 31, was remanded on bail for sentencing on November 29 for assaulting a female, threatening behaviour, assaulting police and resisting arrest on July 9.

Burglary

John Edward Hansen, 58, was sentenced to 27 months’ jail and ordered to pay $700 in reparation for three charges or burglary and three charges of receiving stolen property on June 16 and 17.

Firearms

Tyler Rei Byron, 18, shearer, of Mataura, was discharged without conviction for being in possession of a firearm without a licence on July 23. An order was made for the destruction of the firearm.

Driving

Jeremy Allan Tyler, 20, engineer, of Hedgehope, was fined $400 and disqualified from driving for six months for driving while suspended on September 17.

Dayna Lisa Richardson, 19, was remanded on bail sentencing on November 8 for drink-driving, under the age of 20, and failing to comply on September 8.

Hemi Braven, 22, nursery worker, of Wyndham, was sentenced to four months’ home detention, 150 hours’ community work, and was disqualified indefinitely and ordered not to have an interest in a motor vehicle for 12 months for careless driving, failing to stop to ascertain injury and driving with a breath alcohol level of 791mcg on September 4.

Terrance Charles De Clifford, 30, shearer, was remanded on bail to February 14 for driving while disqualified on June 15.

Drink-driving

Murray George David Deans, 58, railway worker, was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for 13 months for driving with a breath alcohol level of 502mcg on October 8.

Gurwinder Singh, 27, of Croydon Bush, was discharged without conviction for driving with a breath alcohol level of 490mcg on August 4.He was disqualified for six months and ordered to pay $350 prosecution costs.