A former management assistant who stole $165,000 from her employer Suncorp to spend on herself and her friends has been spared jail.
Judge Christopher Ryan sentenced Jenna Ross, 35, to a three-year good behaviour order in the County Court of Victoria on Friday.
She had earlier pleaded guilty to fraud charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception.
“Normally, offending of this kind would be met by a term of immediate imprisonment,” Judge Ryan said to her in court.
“I am of the opinion that a sentence that might be described as merciful is an appropriate sentence in your case.”
He said Ms Ross had a “strong desire to be liked”.
She used the money she skimmed from the financial services company to “curry favour” with friends and acquaintances by spending money on them.
She spent the money on holidays for her female friends and for a “quasi-romantic” relationship with a male.
The Mentone woman splashed out on flights, accommodation and meals, with trips to the United States, the Gold Coast and Perth.
She used her boss’s corporate credit card for $80,000 worth of purchases and bought $86,250 worth of gift cards with Suncorp’s money.
Ross was hired on April 4, 2014, and had only worked for six weeks when she stole from Suncorp for the first time, keeping it up for almost four years.
She continued stealing up until Suncorp detected a fraudulent invoice and she resigned in March 2018.
Judge Ryan said Ross experienced anxiety and depression while she was stealing but didn’t seek help with her mental health issues until after she was caught out.
A psychologist told the court the “stressful” environment of prison could result in Ross’s mental health deteriorating.
The court was told Ross had “perennial misgivings about (her) personal worth” and had high intelligence.
Working in menial roles without “significant cognitive stimulation and challenge” exacerbated her mental health problems, a psychologist told Judge Ryan.
“I accept that your chronic depressive state was a contributor to your offending,” he said.
But he said there was “no suggestion” it prevented Ross from not being able to tell the difference between right and wrong.
Ross has repaid $65,000 and “intended to repay all of the moneys owed”, Judge Ryan said.
The court said she must complete 300 hours of unpaid community work, which can include mental health treatment, complete programs to reduce her risk of reoffending and report for supervision.
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