Worker who stole $ 1.2m from using to buy 'nice things' jailed for more than six years

Updated

October 25, 2018 19:16:00

A Perth office worker who has been jailed for stealing $ 1.2 million, said she took the money because she "liked to go out shopping, have a coffee with friends and have nice things".

Lynette Alison Corrie, 56, pleaded guilty in WA's District Court to 32 stealing as a servant, committed while she was employed as an administrative manager at the businesses between November 2009 and June 2017.

The court was told about 389 separate transactions over seven and a half years, transferring money from the bank accounts into an account.

She stole a total of $ 1.218 million which Judge Linda Petrusa said to pay extra $ 160,000 a year, $ 40,000 annual salary.

The short heard Corrie started taking money from the first business, a family-run hardware wholesaler, about a month after starting work, and continued stealing even after the company went into voluntary administration because of cash flow problems.

Corrie asked for a reference to the first company before starting work with a plumbing and electrical company, where she started stealing again just nine days later.

Judge Petrusa said the impact of Corrie's had been "catastrophic" for the owners of the businesses, saying it had their self confidence and their ability to trust people.

When it came to being, she was confronted by one of the owners of the business and asked why she did it.

"Life", but when she wanted it, "to go out shopping, have a coffee with friends and have nice things".

Lawyer bewildered by lack of motive

Defense lawyer Tom Percy QC described the case as "bewildering", saying Corrie had no drug, alcohol, gambling nor financial problems, and seemed to have committed the offenses simply to live comfortably.

He said there were no extravagant trips or expensive jeweler involved and Corrie appeared to have the money on "everyday expenses, paying bills and shopping".

"At the end of the day," he said.

Judge Petrusa sentenced to six years and two months, describing the offenses as very serious.

"Clearly you have enjoyed a lifestyle well beyond what your income could sustain," she said.

"Having access to that much extra money must have enhanced your lifestyle."

Corrie had 'front-row seat' to witness company's decline

Judge Petrusa said the two businesses were vulnerable and Corrie had breached the trust of the owners had placed in her.

She said she had no doubt Corrie's theft from her first employer, "made a significant contribution to the failure of the business", telling her she had "a front-row seat" to watch the decline of the company and the effect it had on the family owners and the other employees, some of whom had lost their jobs.

She described the extent of Corrie's betrayal as enormous.

Corrie will have to serve you over the years of her six-year-and-two-month sentence.

The $ 325,000 of the $ 520,000 of the second company and the $ 10,000,000 of the first company for the $ 698,000 she stole from it.

topics:

fraud-and-corporate-crime

law-crime-and-justice

work,

Lansdale-6065,

wa,

malaga-6090

First posted

October 25, 2018 17:57:55