Claudia Gelonese, 26 released from jail after rorting Bright Bees Early Learning Centre in Nicholls
The bride who used childcare fees meant for centre she was working at to bankroll her dream wedding at Luna Park has returned to court.
Canberra Star
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Pregnant fraudster bride Claudia Gelonese has been released from jail after just more than a month served, and is set to argue her jail sentence for rorting a Canberra childcare centre was “manifestly excessive”.
Gelonese, 26, was in January jailed for seven months, to be suspended after four months served, after pleading guilty to obtaining financial advantage by deception.
She used thousands of dollars in ill-gotten money to help bankroll her dream harbourside wedding, complete with chauffeured Rolls Royces, a reception at Luna Park, and her Instagram influencer sister, Julia, as one of three bridesmaids.
Gelonese’s lawyers on Wednesday fronted the ACT Supreme Court and argued she should be released from Canberra’s notoriously tough jail, the Alexander Maconochie Centre, to live on bail with her mum in Lyneham in Canberra’s inner northern suburbs.
Had Justice David Mossop not released her from jail, she would have served her entire four months of actual jail time before her appeal could be heard, although they turned down an offer of an appeal hearing this week. Gelonese, who is now three months pregnant, now faces the prospect of giving birth behind bars if her appeal fails, a development which would see her sent back to jail to serve the rest of her prison time.
Gelonese was on Tuesday supported in court for the first time by family members, including her husband, Youssef, and her mother.
Justice Mossop said there was an “unfortunate absence” of material to detail what chance of success Gelonese’s appeal might have.
Gelonese’s crimes involved her handing out her personal banking details to parents at the Bright Bees Early Learning Centre in Nicholls, instead of the centre’s banking details.
The parents then unknowingly paid thousands in fees to Gelonese, leaving the centre owner, Amresh Kumar, out of pocket.
Gelonese declined to comment when she was released from the ACT Supreme Court cells, telling news crews to “leave me alone”.
Her husband hurried her into a rental car as she shielded her face from cameras.
Her appeal returns to court in March.