Nadia Du Toit faces Orange Local Court for stealing $48,000 from employer

Nadia Du Toit, 34, of Diamond Drive, was given a custodial sentence when she faced Orange Local Court on Monday after pleading guilty to one count of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

The court heard Du Toit abused her role as an administration coordinator for Allmould Plastics Pty Ltd by using a bank account, credit card and fuel card belonging to the business spending a total of $47,949.63.

According to information submitted to the court, Du Toit started working part time for the Orange-based business in February 2019, and it was her first job since her family arrived in Australia from South Africa in 2012.

As part of her role she was given access to a corporate credit card to make authorised business purchases or office-related items such as bread, milk, tea and coffee and biscuits. She was also permitted $100 a month for a fuel allowance and was provided a fleet card.

Du Toit was also given access to an Officeworks account to purchase business-related stationary supplies, and she had access to a business bank account.

However, in March 2020, the company's directors discovered a number of unauthorised transactions.

An investigation revealed she made purchases with the credit card totalling $39,287.63, she spent $3364 from the fuel account, $4171 from the bank account and $1127 at Office Works.

Police identified 31 items in her home from the purchases including a smart TV, bedroom furniture, clothing, household appliances, a chest freezer, camping equipment and white goods.

Solicitor Mason Manwaring said her husband continues to support her. There was a civil court proceeding and Ms Du Toit is paying the business $15,000 in installments.

Magistrate Clare Farnan said it was Du Toit's first offence, she was not financially disadvantaged at the time of the offence and did not have mental health issues. "It seems to be a case where Du Toit thought she could get away with it," she said.

She sentenced Du Toit to a 15-month community-based Intensive Correction Order requiring 60 hours of community service.

"An [ICO] is a prison sentence and if [Du Toit] does not comply with it, the community-based aspect can be revoked," she said.

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