A Yarras man has pleaded guilty to defrauding an agricultural youth group that aims to support local agricultural shows and the community.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Andrew Leslie Carroll, 26, of Oxley Highway, Yarras fronted Wauchope Local Court on Wednesday September 3. He appeared before Magistrate Price.
He will be sentenced on October 8. The maximum penalty is 10 years in jail.
Carroll is alleged to have dishonestly obtained $4490 from the group between February 5 and October 5 by use of electronic banking facilities and using a key card.
Court documents show that Carroll allegedly made a total of 16 unauthorised transactions from the account of Footprints in Ag.
Carroll joined FIA as vice president. The group organised several fundraising events including Dance for Drought in 2016 and Dance for Pappinbarra the following year. The group distributed the $10,000 funds from these events to Aussie Helpers and the Pappinbarra Bushfire Appeal.
The court documents show that the FIA treasurer allegedly noticed discrepancies when trying to reconcile the accounts, including some unexplained withdrawals.
Carroll repaid two amounts of $160 and $1250 telling the FIA committee via a Facebook message group that "he had simply made mistakes using the internet banking facilities on his phone".
The court documents show that Carroll eventually repaid more funds into the group's account.
Magistrate Price has requested a sentence assessment report. Carroll will be sentenced in Wauchope Local Court on October 8.