A Clyde woman has admitted taking cheques from an elderly
relative and forging a signature to obtain $26,845 cash,
emptying the victim's bank account.
Elizabeth Dianne Payne (20), a seasonal worker, pleaded
guilty to two charges when she appeared before Judge Paul
Kellar in the Alexandra District Court yesterday.
She admitted a charge of taking 74 Westpac bank cheques
between December 24, 2007, and February 11, 2010, with intent
to obtain a pecuniary advantage, and one of stealing $1876 by
failing to bank two sums of money when she was working for a
Queenstown cafe, on August 24 and 28 last year.
Payne initially faced 74 charges of fraudulently using
cheques to obtain cash but prosecutor Sergeant Ian Collin
asked for 73 to be withdrawn and replaced by the single
charge.
The police summary of facts said the victim used a cheque
book to pay bills. Between the end of 2007 and early 2010,
Payne had visited the relative and took individual cheques
from four different cheque books, without permission.
She presented 74 cheques for cash at locations throughout
Otago and Southland, forging the victim's signature, and
emptying the relative's bank account. In total, she obtained
$26,845 in cash, which she used to buy a 1993 Toyota Hilux
vehicle and a laptop computer. Those items were recovered.
The failing to account charge arose from an incident when
Payne was working for a cafe in Queenstown last August.
She was asked to bank $940 on August 24 and $936 two days
later. She claimed she did so. Three weeks later, Payne
failed to show up for work and had not been in contact with
the cafe since.
When spoken to by police, she initially denied taking the
money but later admitted to taking the second amount and
placing it in her bank account.
Payne had no previous convictions.
Counsel Justine Baird said the defendant had forfeited the
vehicle and computer and the proceeds could be used to repay
the victim of the fraud.
She sought a pre-sentence report and asked for restorative
justice to be considered.
Miss Baird sought interim name suppression to protect the
victim of the fraud.
Judge Kellar convicted and remanded Payne to August 25 and
warned her that prison was one of the sentencing options
being considered. Home detention was another.
He declined to suppress the defendant's name but suppressed
that of the fraud victim.
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