Part-time Jail For $141,000 Theft
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday June 17, 2006
WONGAWILLI man Dennis Whittaker was a dedicated Christian with strong ties to the Salvation Army and a respected financial advisor.
But a downturn in the property market in 2002 tempted the 64-year-old into crime as he struggled to manage his mortgage repayments on a Wollongong investment unit. Yesterday, Whittaker was sentenced to a minimum 10 months' jail for embezzling more than $141,000 from his employer over four years. Magistrate William Bryden ordered Whittaker to serve periodic detention.Whittaker pleaded guilty to two charges of embezzlement and two counts of theft when he first appeared at Sutherland Local Court on March 30.At yesterday's sentencing, Whittaker asked Mr Bryden to take into account his guilty pleas on a further 63 charges of larceny.On Thursday, the court heard that Whittaker had made full admissions about his dishonesty, providing police with enough evidence to charge him.Whittaker committed the offences between March 26, 2002 and November 3, 2005, when he was general manager of a Miranda insurance broking firm owned by Gary and Pam Carrington.During that time he redirected company money into his personal bank account to pay for his Wollongong investment unit and a swag of insurance premiums on cars and houses owned by him and other members of the family.To date, he has repaid $72,767 to the Carringtons with a further $68,856 still to be paid in compensation. The court was told that the victims were now listed on the deeds to Whittaker's home on Vista Parkway, which was listed on the market a month ago for $1.8 million.They will be first to receive their money after the mortgage is paid out.Whittaker was now unemployed, had been stood down from a number of senior posts with the Salvation Army and was unlikely to gain future employment.His legal counsel acknowledged the serious breach of an employer's trust was an aggravating factor.Mr Brydon said while glowing testimonials and medical reports pointed to a man of previous excellent character and that his crimes were out of character, he was concerned by the pattern of criminal behaviour.Outside the court Gary and Pam Carrington said they were satisfied with the sentence."We didn't want to see him go to jail and he's paying back what is owed to us," Mr Carrington said."But there are no winners here today because we have lost a once-trusted friend and employee and our business is now under stress".
© 2006 Illawarra Mercury