Trevor Cecil implicated as Margaret Joyce Hull jailed for fraud

A highly respected Fraser Coast businessman and Australia Day award recipient has been implicated in stealing more than $1m dollars five years after his death when one of his employees was sentenced to jail.

A respected Hervey Bay businessman has been implicated in the theft of more than $1million from body corporate clients over seven years after his former employee faced court on fraud charges on Thursday, which saw her sentenced to five-and-a-half years jail.

Margaret Joyce Hull, 67, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud when she faced Hervey Bay District Court.

Hull had been an administrator at Richardson and Wrench since 1996, a real estate agency which was owned and operated by popular and prominent businessman, Trevor Cecil.

But in 2010, after Hull informed Mr Cecil the business was in financial trouble, money was taken from 29 of the body corporate accounts managed by the business to help keep it afloat, the court heard.

The fraudulent transfers amounted to about $1.1 million and occurred over a period of about seven years, with some of the money used to keep the business afloat and some used for personal benefit.

The exact amount that Hull had personally benefited from was not known, the court heard.

In addition to the fraudulent funds, there had been a payment made to her account – which was not the subject of any charges – of $700,000 following Mr Cecil’s death, the court was told.

No action had been taken in regards to that money because it was not known what agreement she and Mr Cecil had in place in regards to those funds, it heard.

Margaret Joyce Hull outside Hervey Bay Court House.

In sentencing Hull, who had suffered thyroid cancer in recent years but was currently in remission, the crown prosecutor accepted Mr Cecil’s involvement in the offending.

The prosecutor could not refute that Mr Cecil would have had involvement and knowledge of transfers being made out of the body corporate accounts.

The court heard the offending had come to light after Mr Cecil’s death from a stroke on October 14, 2017.

The last fraudulent transfer had been made out of a body corporate account the day before his sudden death, the court was told, at which time Hull had stopped offending.

Mr Cecil had been well known in the Fraser Coast community, with 800 people attending his funeral at Maryborough’s Brolga Theatre.

He had been named the Fraser Coast’s citizen of the year in 2014 for his contribution to various events, organisations and charities.

When Mr Cecil’s children were in the process of selling the business after his death, the anomalies in the accounts came to light, with one of his children noticing a regular transfer of $5000 out of one of the body corporate accounts.

Hull initially feigned ignorance before she confessed that some of the body corporate accounts were short.

As the business was being sold, Hull stalled the process by four months to try to cover her dishonesty, the court heard, with hundreds of thousands of dollars then being transferred from the company account back into the body corporate accounts to make up the shortfalls.

Beloved former Hervey Bay businessman Trevor Cecil with his Citizen of the Year award. Photo: Alistair Brightman / Fraser Coast Chronicle

The court heard the funds transferred from the body corporate accounts matched with entries in Hull’s own personal accounts.

Some of that was explained by Hull as reimbursing her for costs and to help Mr Cecil avoid paying GST on some transactions, the court was told.

But Hull had attempted to cover the fraudulent payments by falsifying balance sheets and other financial documents.

Hull’s defence barrister told the court when Hull had informed her employer the business was in “dire circumstances”, he was too proud to accept that.

Mr Cecil was well known in the community and the failure of the business would have been a slight on his reputation, the court was told.

As the body corporate manager, Mr Cecil would have been aware of what was happening, the court heard, but after his death it was Hull who bore the brunt of the blame for what transpired.

Hull had no prior criminal history and was caring for her husband, who had ongoing health issues.

Judge Nathan Jarro said misplaced loyalty to Mr Cecil had seen Hull become involved in the fraudulent activities.

He said Hull had taken the money to aid the business and ensure it survived and then to benefit herself personally.

“It is unlikely in my view that you will ever offend or you will ever place yourself or be in a position where you could reoffend given your age and that you’re now out of the workforce,” he said.

Judge Jarro said four references provided to the court on Hull’s behalf spoke of her generosity and her otherwise good character.

Hull was given a head sentence of five-and-a-half years in prison, and will be eligible for parole from October 27, 2023.

Convictions were recorded.