Emma Joanne O'Dowda in the Dunedin District Court
yesterday. Photo by ODT.
Spending on a lifestyle including designer clothing, hair
appointments and travel has contributed to the sentence handed
down to a former Dunedin banking consultant who pleaded guilty
to stealing $376,000 from the National Bank.
Sentencing Emma Joanne O'Dowda (40), in the Dunedin District
Court yesterday, to two years and six months' jail, Judge
Stephen O'Driscoll said because she had come to court with no
way of repaying any of the money, he was unable to give her
the full credit she might otherwise receive.
O'Dowda, a mother of two, wept openly in the dock as the
details of her situation were outlined.
She placed her hands over her face as she was sentenced.
She had earlier pleaded guilty to 11 charges of theft by a
person in a special relationship.
Over a period of 32 months, between 2007 and 2009, while
working as a business banking consultant for the National
Bank's business banking centre in Moray Pl, Dunedin, O'Dowda
made 11 unauthorised loans in her own and customers' names.
The court heard O'Dowda would create a loan, then create a
larger loan to repay the previous loan.
The extra money from the new loan would be put into private
accounts.
In total, O'Dowda took $376,000 for herself before a staff
member noticed the discrepancies.
She told police no family or friends knew of the offending.
Prosecutor Louise Denton said the money was gone and police
and the Crown had no idea how it had been spent.
It was thought up to $60,000 was spent on prescription
medication and doctors' appointments.
The rest was believed to have been spent on O'Dowda's
lifestyle, including designer clothing bought both in shops
and online, hair appointments, travel and a large amount of
groceries.
Ms Denton noted O'Dowda had issues with drug addiction, but
questioned whether she had a shopping addiction.
"I submit there's a fine line between addiction and just
simple greed."
The Crown recommended a starting point of between four and
five years' imprisonment, Ms Denton said.
Defence counsel Jim Large suggested there were several
matters the court should be mindful of in relation to
O'Dowda's offending.
To her credit, she had co-operated with police and the bank's
investigator, had not offended before and was clearly
remorseful.
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