Bookkeeper Amanda Dyer to be sentenced next month for robbing two companies to fuel lavish lifestyle

A bookkeeper became “entrenched” in robbing her two workplaces of a combined $1.3m – which she used to fund holidays, jewellery purchases and her gambling addiction.

A “heartless” woman who became entrenched in the pattern of stealing money robbed her two workplaces of a combined $1.3m during her bookkeeper duties.

Amanda Marie Dyer, 58, was living the high life for several years, all the while harbouring a sinister secret about how it all was funded.

Dyer stole over $1.2m from Dry Creek‘s Rick Cobby Transport while she worked for them between 2013 to 2018.

Rick Cobby Transport went into liquidation in 2018 and Dyer had started work at the Lady Bay Hotel in Normanville.

She stole over $90,000 from that business from 2017 to 2018.
Casey Isaacs, for Dyer, initially said it was “speculation” that Dyer used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle.

However, during sentencing submissions on Friday, the District Court heard it was agreed Dyer used some of the stolen money to fund holidays, jewellery purchases and living expenses.

Mr Isaacs said she initially used a large amount of the money to pay off debts from her family business, as well as fuelling her alcohol and gambling addictions.

“The behaviour of taking the money became entrenched … she took the money without thinking about it,” he said.
“The longer the pattern continued, the less likely she had regard to it.”

Amanda Dyer outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court at an earlier appearance. Photo: NCA NewsWire/David Mariuz

Amanda Dyer pleaded guilty to eight counts of theft. Photo: NCA NewsWire/David Mariuz

Victim impact statements were read to the District Court in May.

Rick Cobby, 81, said Dyer had destroyed his reputation in the transport industry and stolen his life savings.

“You will never know the devastation and the damaging effects of your ruthless, callous criminal actions,” he said.

“I have nothing but contempt, disgrace and bloody hatred for you and your family and your actions.”

Lady Bay hotel owner, Mike Hill said Dyer had destroyed his faith in human nature.

“Amanda, you are a manipulative, heartless person who has no conscience whatsoever and you have hurt or destroyed a lot of people by acting not out of need but pure greed,” he said.

The court heard Dyer leveraged her role as an accountant and bookkeeper to transfer funds to herself instead of paying creditors.

This happened on 194 occasions over five years.

After Rick Cobby Transport went into liquidation, an investigation identified the misappropriation of company funds leading back to Dyer.

The Lady Bay Hotel wasn’t made aware of Dyer’s deception until they were contacted and warned.

The Normanville mother pleaded guilty to eight charges of theft, replacing the 235 originally laid by police.

A teary Dyer read apology letters to her victims in May, saying she was deeply ashamed of her actions and didn’t expect forgiveness.

Judge Simon Stretton will sentence Dyer, who is in custody, next month.

He said the fact the victims hadn’t received any of their money back would reflect in her penalty.