Fraudster's Sentence Disgusting – Gil Elliott

5th September 2016

This case typifies the glaring problems there are with the criminal justice system and with weak judges in NZ. How many people in society can say and do whatever they like with impunity apart from judges in our courts. Judges can ruin people’s lives by making inappropriate decisions. Gil Elliott Spokesperson for Sensible Sentencing Trust

“Take the case of a Dunedin business woman (Otago Daily Times weekend edition 3rdand 4th September 2016) who funded her gambling habit through fraud of more than $200,000, has had her name suppressed and been sentenced to community detention.”

She was the sole director and shareholder of a company which failed to pay $108,204.91 in employees PAYE KiwiSaver deductions and KiwiSaver contributions and GST of $125,661.40 in 2015.

Mr Elliott says, “Judge Kevin Phillips suppressed the woman's name, address and occupation as well as that of her current employer to protect the employer's company from extreme hardship (whatever that might be).”

“The woman was sentenced to 5 months community detention and 200 hours of community work and was ordered to repay the $233,866.31 she defrauded from the IRD.”

Outside court a group of the woman's employees were visibly shaken and 'in shock' and labelled the sentence and ongoing name suppression as disgusting.
Judge Phillips did not sentence her to prison or home detention.... as it would prevent her from working and repaying her debt to the taxpayer.

The company she worked for (presumably her company) had originally had 30 employees then as it struggled (because of her fraudulent activities), dropped to 8 employees and then the company was put into liquidation earlier this year.

Gil says this is a gross abuse of duty by the judge Kevin Phillips. "Once again we can see that judges are above the law and are not accountable for their actions."

ENDS

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