A Hobart father who used a company card to buy more than $24k of fuel for himself and his friends said he committed the fraud because his wife had left him in debt. WHAT THE JUDGE SAID >
Damian John Barrett, 38, was sentenced recently in the Supreme Court of Tasmania before Justice Jago.
In the published decision, Justice Tamara Jago said while Barrett had initially used the card to “free up some cash and cover basic household expenses” after the breakdown of his marriage, his offending became more brazen.
Between May and November 2021, Barrett used the card – issued by his employer Ian Harrington Group trading as Roadways Pty Ltd – to purchase 15,231.50 litres of fuel.
Barrett then began buying fuel for his friends, and went to the extent of filling 44 gallon drums which he would then on-sell.
Barrett fraudulently purchased more than $24k of fuel on his company card. Trevor Veale / The Coffs Coast Advocate
The total value of the stolen fuel was $24,208.06.
In late November, 2021, a number of irregular fuel purchases were flagged and CCTV footage was found to have captured his fraudulent purchases.
His offending only stopped when he was fired from the company, for which he had worked for five years.
He pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud.
Published documents state Barrett has a number of prior convictions for driving offences – and that he had recently been jailed for disqualified driving – but a “relatively limited” history of dishonesty offences.
Justice Jago noted Barrett’s childhood, and said the breakdown of Barrett’s marriage had caused him “great upheaval and upset”.
“You also discovered that she had left you with substantial debts,” Justice Jago said.
“You were struggling financially and emotionally and it was against this background that you committed these crimes.”
Justice Jago said Barrett’s “dishonest and brazen manipulation” would have had an impact on the company, and that while it remained to be seen whether or not they would be compensated, it was understood that Barrett was willing to pay restitution.
“ … And in fact, (you) have made some enquiries about obtaining a personal loan in order to do the same, but have not yet been able to do so,” she said.
He was sentenced to seven months jail, wholly suspended for two years.
A compensation order was made to the company for an amount to be assessed.
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