A former district health board employee, who says he wanted to be a priest, is off to jail for fraudulently obtaining more than $1.8 million of government Covid-19 response funding.
Alister Thorby said he gave some of the money to Māori wardens, but also bought a property, vehicles, a motorhome and overseas travel.
The 28-year-old was arrested in July 2022 at Auckland Airport as he was about to leave New Zealand.
He said that was funded by a Lotto win, but his fraud was real as he double dipped on the taxpayer.
In the Palmerston North District Court today, Thorby was sentenced to two years and eight months' jail, as Judge Bruce Northwood declined a plea by defence lawyer Ron Mansfield, KC, for a sentence of home detention.
The defendant had previously admitted and was convicted on one charge of obtaining by deception.
The offending happened between March and June 2022.
Thorby was employed by the Capital and Coast and Hutt Valley DHBs between October 2021 and June 2022 to provide services, such as security and logistics at Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) sites.
Among the invoices he submitted were false ones under his company, Moutoa Māori Wardens, for security he never provided.
He also submitted invoices under the names of two made-up companies, Te Awahou Cleaning and Horowhenua Motorhome Rental, again for work he did not provide.
When arrested, he was heading to Brisbane and claimed to be travelling with DHB staff.
Judge Northwood said Thorby had a long history of community work, including with Māori wardens, and was well thought of.
He aspired to be a Rātana and Catholic priest and to serve his community through the priesthood.
However, there were inconsistencies raised in Thorby's pre-sentence report from Probation, although Mansfield said the probation officer was working from an old version of the summary of facts.
"You said you understood that the dishonestly obtained money had been repaid, but this of course is contradicted by a reparation report from the Crown," the judge told Thorby.
Judge Northwood made a reparation order for the full defrauded amount.
Mansfield said about half of that had been frozen, so would soon be released back to Health New Zealand.
Archbishop pleads for slap on hand
In sentencing, Judge Northwood gave Thorby discounts for his guilty plea, remorse, previous good character and prospects of rehabilitation.
The judge told Thorby he read through impressive references.
"I've read of an interesting and varied carer both in the aviation and other areas. Clearly you're a man of skill. Clearly you're well thought of ... It seems to me you're well placed to put this offending behind you."
Among those references was one from an archbishop, who urged the judge to give Thorby a slap on the hand and not limit his potential.
However, Judge Northwood said during the Covid-19 pandemic there was chaos and the government built a system to quickly get funds into the community that relied on trust.
Thorby betrayed that and swiftly came up with a plan to make money.
Mansfield had said the money did not go on a lavish lifestyle, but Judge Northwood disagreed, saying there was no proof the defendant had given money to Māori wardens.
Mansfield noted the support Thorby had in court and his great promise. However, he was presented with an opportunity he had exploited.
"This is a very sad day for Mr Thorby," Mansfield told the court.
"It's a significant fall from grace from a young man who was seen and treated as a leader in the community."
