Former Brisbane Magistrates Court employee Brandon Kenneth Frances pleads guilty to stealing, fraud

Sensitive details of court employees, including the Chief Justice, were exposed by a clerk who hocked stolen work computers to pawn brokers for loans to fund a “crippling” gambling addiction.

Former court employee Brandon Kenneth Frances leaving the Brisbane Magistrates Court. pic: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

A court clerk who hocked work computers to pawn brokers for small loans due to a “crippling” gambling addiction potentially exposed details of employees up to the Chief Justice in the process, a court has heard.

Former Brisbane Magistrates Court employee Brandon Kenneth Frances, 29, faced his old workplace on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to five counts of stealing by person in the public service and three counts of fraud.

The court heard that between July 2022 and May 2023 Frances stole five laptops belonging to the Justice Department and on 21 occasions used them as collateral for $120 loans at Cash Converters which he then repaid on payday. The computers were returned and the department suffered no financial loss.

But Magistrate Ross Mack pointed out that by giving his computer password to Cash Converters he was exposing sensitive data.

“By giving that access he in effect gives the email address of everyone employed from the Chief Justice through to the newest recruit,” he said.

Mr Mack said the fraud was more serious than the stealing because it “exposes information to a range of people in relation to other people they have no business to know”.

“What happens if it falls into you know Joe the local crime boss,” he said.

Brandon Kenneth Frances leaves Brisbane Magistrates Court after sentencing. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The court heard Frances didn’t provide the password to the department’s information system.

Barrister Jack Kennedy said his client was significantly in debt due to gambling which he ploughed most of his pay into.

“Such was his desperation at the time where he was just constantly chasing the losses,” he said.

“It was a crippling addiction for him which has affected every aspect of his life, socially, his family.”

A letter of apology was tendered to the court along with a psychologist’s report and a reference that spoke of his volunteering.

Mr Kennedy said his client was remorseful and had shown insight into his offending and had since stopped gambling.

Mr Mack said Frances had thrown away a promising career in the public service and even though the value of the fraud wasn’t much any sentence needed to involve deterrence due to the large number of civil servants.

“They are expected to marshal and keep safe the public purse, he did not do that,” he said.

“He was a man who had a classified position in the Department of Justice of course he knew the consequences.”

Mr Mack said he did not think Frances would reoffend and had taken steps towards rehabilitation.

Frances was sentenced to 12 months prison wholly suspended and ordered to undertake 200 hours of community service.