Mark Peter Culley: Ipswich man defrauds Professional Photographers’ Association of Queensland of $23k, uses Photoshop to ‘cover tracks’

An esteemed astrophotographer has defrauded a widely-respected photographic group, pocketing more than $23,000 after using Photoshop to “cover his tracks”, a court has heard.

A businessman, acclaimed astrophotographer, and father has faced sentence in an Ipswich court after defrauding $23,000 from the photographic organisation he was both the president and treasurer of.

Ipswich Magistrates Court heard on Thursday, May 5 that defendant Mark Peter Culley, 52, then used Photoshop and other computer applications to forge bank statements and financial reports to cover his tracks.

Culley pleaded guilty in court to five charges including two counts of forgery and uttering related to bank statements, one count of fraud, and two counts of uttering a financial report.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Nick Turnbull told the court the offending was carried out between June 2016 and November 2019, while Culley was a member of the Professional Photographers’ Association of Queensland.

He said the Ipswich dad defrauded the association of $23,180.63 over 59 transactions while in a “position of trust”.

Mr Turnbull noted he had a “relevant but dated” history, his offending was protracted, and he made concerted efforts – going so far as to forge financial documents – to hide evidence of his offending.

The court heard Culley, a photographer for more than 20 years, owns both Brisbane Jumping Castle Hire and a photography business. Neither were “doing so well” in the 3.5-year period during which he offended.

Known for his astrophotography skills, the businessman joined the Professional Photographers’ Association of Queensland some six years ago, assuming the role of president in 2017 and treasurer a year or so later. He remained a member until late 2019.

While in positions of office, the court heard he had control of the association’s bank accounts and transferred more than $23,000 directly into his own personal and business bank accounts.

Defence solicitor Shannon Chen said her client’s behaviour was “not really sophisticated” and related to some troubles he faced in the years preceding his offending.

She said Culley was unemployed between 2015 and 2016, which “troubled” him, and he was suffering “serious mental health issues” including depression and anxiety.

Despite his difficulties, Ms Chen told the court he had told her his actions were “just not excusable”.

“He remembers it started off as a lapse of judgment. At the moment he was just trying to get some cash to cover his personal expenses and the expenses (of) his business,” Ms Chen said.

“After realising what he had done, he made further mistakes, he made further wrong choices, and failed to come clean to his fellow members.

“He then forged a financial report, forged bank statements, trying to cover up what he had done wrong.”

Ms Chen said her client regretted his actions “very deeply” and he was sorry to have hurt his fellow members within the association – people he called his friends.

The court heard Culley used Photoshop and other computer applications to forge financial reports using other people’s names, namely that of an accountant he dealt with professionally some years earlier.

Magistrate Robert Walker described the means Culley used to “cover his tracks” as “devious”, particularly as he drew an innocent person into his offending when he falsified an audit report.

Mr Walker said he had taken into account the length of time over which the Ipswich businessman offended, his efforts to hide his offending, and his pleas of guilty when deciding an appropriate penalty.

Culley was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for the operational period of three years, and was ordered to pay $23,180.63 compensation to the photography association.

Convictions were recorded.