A man who paid for prostitutes using almost $130,000 stolen
from the Catholic secondary school he worked at has been
jailed after his family refused to agree to home detention.
David Don, 44, took $126,728.01 over the five years he was
employed as executive officer at St Patrick's College in
Wellington.
He was sentenced at Wellington District Court this morning to
two years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to eight
charges of dishonestly accessing a computer system and one of
money laundering.
Judge Chris Tuohy said Don had become eligible for home
detention after repaying about $12,500 of the money since
last June.
However, all adults living at an address nominated for such a
sentence had to give their consent and that had not been
forthcoming.
Don's wife and son live in the family home. His son was in
court today and after the hearing said the sentence was not a
surprise. He did not want to comment further.
Judge Tuohy said Don had suffered "public humiliation'' as a
result of his offending.
"Your career has obviously been destroyed.''
At an earlier hearing the Crown told the court Don had spent
$19,820 on prostitutes at escort agencies the Kensington and
Quarry Inn.
He recorded the expense as "Corporate Wellington'' and
"Corporate Lower Hutt'' in the school's banking system.
A further $3700 was transferred to Mr Waterbed Ltd for a
king-size, deluxe waterbed Don had delivered to his home.
Another $1107.45 was used for personalised sweatshirts for
his social football club.
Don also made extra mortgage payments of $34,227.52 on the
house he and his wife own in Vogeltown, Wellington, which has
an official valuation of $425,000.
Judge Tuohy today said Don had tried to raise funds against
his half of the house to repay what he had stolen.
However, his wife had not agreed "and I don't criticise her
in any way for that decision'', the judge said.
Don had used his accrued annual leave to pay off some of the
debt. He continued to make repayments at $50 a week from his
emergency benefit and some "menial'' work he had picked up.
"... you've done what you can to pay what you can,'' Judge
Tuohy said.
Don did not appear surprised by the sentence and had come
prepared with a small backpack.
He will be able to apply for home detention should a suitable
address be found.
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