Hurbertus Janssen pleads guilty to stealing from Little Athletics Elizabeth out of ‘necessity’

The president of a northern suburbs Little Athletics club has faced court after stealing and running up an unauthorised credit card bill out of “necessity”.

Hurbertus Janssen leaves the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to theft. Picture: Ben Cameron

A former Little Athletics Elizabeth president has pleaded guilty to running up an authorised bill on the club’s credit card and going on a “spree” at Bunnings.

Hurbertus Janssen, 58, of Elizabeth Park, pleaded guilty in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Tuesday to 17 counts of theft.

The court heard, between November 13, 2018 and June 25, 2019, Janssen stole various items from the club’s shed and ran up a bill on the club’s credit card.

It heard Janssen was “in control” of the club but had betrayed the trust put in him by members.

Items included a trailer, storage boxes, gardening items, a tool kit, outdoor chairs, cleaning products, moving boxes, a hand trolley, nuts and bolts, globes, insulation tape, rope, tarpaulins, barbecue equipment and synthetic turf.

Police prosecutor Battersby said a club member discovered several items had gone missing from the club shed, which was then reported to police.

Hurbertus Janssen pleaded guilty to theft. Picture: Playford Council

A number of unauthorised transactions were also discovered at Bunnings with Janssen the only person with access to the card.

The court heard Janssen, a carer for his wife who suffers from “severe anxiety and depression”, had committed the offences out of “necessity”.

His lawyer Dawood Hussaini said Janssen, a forklift driver in Pooraka for more than 15 years, had committed the offences when he was enduring financial difficulty and the offences “were out of character”.

The court heard Janssen had to vacate a rental property in December of 2018, then was forced to move into a Bolivar caravan park, which was costing nearly $600 a week.

He said the items were to assist Janssen with his move out of his rental property.

“He’s extremely remorseful. They were committed out of necessity,” Mr Hussaini said.

Mr Hussaini said his client was happy to repay the money at $50 per week.

However, Mr Battersby said it was a “gross breach of trust” even if the goods were for the “purpose of moving”.

“It’s a breach of trust. He had access to a credit card and went on a spree,” he said.

Magistrate Derek Sprod said the offending occurred over a “short but not insignificant” period of time.

“He took property or used the club’s Bunnings account for goods for his own benefit,” Mr Sprod said.

“He was in a privileged position and he breached the trust of the club and its members.”

Janssen, who was ordered to pay Little Athletics South Australia $1958.31 in compensation, was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond, received a conviction and will have to pay more than $3000 in other costs and fees.