Woman admits $400,000 thefts from firm
A judge has effectively blocked publication of details of a woman’s $400,000 thefts from a law firm.
The 43-year-old woman pleaded guilty to the two charges in the Christchurch District Court today, but Judge Tony Couch refused a media request for access to the police’s summary of the facts about the offences.
He said that because he had suppressed the woman’s name and any details that might identify her or the law firm involved, very few details in the summary of facts would be able to be published.
He said the suppression orders would have to be argued in court when the woman appeared for sentencing on January 26.
He asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared to assess the woman’s suitability for a home or community detention sentence, and for the case to be considered for a restorative justice conference.
The woman was the firm’s human resources manager in charge of payroll. The charges refer to offending over the last 10 years. These details were published when she made her first court appearance three weeks ago and the judge today decided not to make any specific suppressions about them.
Judge Couch said he had considered a defence application and affidavit provided ahead of today’s appearance and he would grant the interim suppression that was sought.
The woman then stood weeping in the dock while the hearing took place.
The judge said the defence application set out the reparation details, including some sums that have been paid already and offers of further payment.
Declining the media request for access to the offending details, he said the public interest would be satisfied by what would be said by the sentencing judge. That judge would hear arguments about suppression and decide what information could safely be made public.
“I am very conscious that suppression of offending should be limited to what is absolutely necessary to protect the vital interests of those involved,” he said.
Category: News
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