A TABLE Top woman who was an accessory in fraud matters involving the purchase of sheep and money paid for agisting cattle on a Corowa property was yesterday given an eight-month suspended jail sentence and ordered to perform 160 hours community service.
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Magistrate Tony Murray said when imposing the penalties on Nadine Grant Hase-Bell that the offences were a breach of trust, involved a significant amount of money and happened over a long period of time.
Hase-Bell, 43, of Knox Road, appeared for sentencing in Albury Local Court on two counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and larceny of more than $15,000.
The court had previously been told in tendered police facts the Lilydale and Glenview properties near Corowa were bought by a Victorian-based company, Geolwick Pty Ltd, in December 1996.
The manager’s role was offered to and accepted by John Bell, who in February 1997 moved there accompanied by his fiancee and now wife Hase-Bell.
There was an agreement about a monthly wage, entitlements and his duties with maintaining management records.
He was a signatory to the company’s cheque account and given delegation to approve purchases and expenditure related to management.
Bell bought 145 merino ewes on September 6, 2007, using a cheque signed by him and drawn on the company account for $10,107.51.
The sheep were transported to Lilydale and formed part of the flock run by him and his wife.
Another 200 merino ewes were bought on October 1, 2008, for $11,000, with a cheque drawn on the company account and added to their flock.
A neighbour spoke to Bell about agisting cattle on Lilydale. This began on January 9, 2010, with a weekly price per beast and invoices sent to the neighbour.
Bell asked for the cheques to be made out to his wife, but there was no direct contact between her and the neighbour.
The agistment fee for February 16, 2010, to August 15, 2012, was $40,222.22.
In August 2012, Bell contacted the neighbour and told him two cheques were needed, with one in his wife’s name and another to the company.
This culminated in a visit by the woman who owned the property, who saw cattle which she knew did not belong to the company.
A cheque for $11,478.28 for the period from September 22, 2012, to February 20, 2013, was deposited in a Hume account in Hase-Bell’s name.
Mr Murray told Hase-Bell to pay $25,500 compensation.
He asked whether charges had been laid against John Bell and police prosecutor Sgt Garry Rowe said they had not through a lack of evidence.
“The investigation is not closed but somewhat stagnant,” Sgt Rowe said.
