October 07, 2008

Manager admits theft over cut-rate jobs

A Christchurch man has admitted doing cut-rate private jobs for which he was paid $108,550 by using his employer?s timber treatment plant and chemicals.

He pleaded guilty to the charge of theft by a person in a special relationship when he appeared before Judge Michael Crosbie in the Christchurch District Court today.

The man, who has name suppression, was employed for two years to 2006 as plant manager.

He approached clients and offered low cost timber treatment deals. Then he did the treatment using his employer?s plant and chemicals.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Garth Coffey said the company had conservatively valued the chemicals used for this work at $128,040.

The man was paid $108,550 by the clients for these jobs that he did without his employer?s permission.

Defence counsel David Ruth said an arrangement had been reached where the company that suffered the loss would not only receive total reparation but would benefit from the settlement.

The arrangement had not yet been signed up and he urged the judge to continue an interim suppression order on the man?s name ?to facilitate the reparation payment which involves reasonably sensitive commercial transactions?.

Judge Crosbie continued the suppression until sentencing on December 17 but said the order would be lifted then.

He ordered a reparation report and a pre-sentence report.