Alexander Greenaway: Dubbo banker stole money from clients to afford drug and alcohol addiction

A Dubbo banker stole money from multiple clients to feed his expensive alcohol and drug addiction, and was later caught by investigators who reported the matter to police. This week he learnt his fate.

A former bank worker who stole money from clients to feed his alcohol and drug addiction was jailed on Wednesday.

Alexander Greenaway, 27, appeared in Dubbo Local Court supported by his partner, mother and sister as he pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtain financial advantage or cause disadvantage by deception.

An agreed set of facts tendered in court revealed Greenaway was working as a personal banking specialist at Dubbo’s Westpac branch when he made fraudulent transactions from April 11, 2019 until August 11, 2021. These transactions totalled $104,920.

The old Westpac branch in Dubbo. Photo: Google Maps

On August 6, 2021, Westpac Dubbo “received a complaint” from a client, stating funds had been withdrawn from their account without their consent, and Greenaway was identified as the offender.

An investigation was established as a result.

After reviewing CCTV footage and transaction history on their private systems, it was revealed to Westpac investigators that 44 fraudulent transactions had been processed involving nine different customers, varying in amount but totally $27,550.

Six days later on August 12, Greenaway agreed to an interview with investigators where he admitted to “withdrawing the money from the clients’ accounts without their permission”.

“[Greenaway] stated that the money was used to buy alcohol and illicit substances,” agreed facts state.

A further 205 transactions between April 11, 2019 and July 30, 2021 were uncovered.

Transactions between February 3, 2020 and July 30, 2021 were caught on CCTV, and it depicted Greenaway withdrawing money – “with no clients present” – from a Westpac work terminal.

Greenaway archived 15 of 63 receipts from April 11, 2019 and January 22, 2020.

“None of these were signed by the clients, as per the bank’s standard operating procedures,” agreed facts state.

Investigators contacted Dubbo Police Station in January this year, reporting the matter and providing evidence, including a final report showing the loss of $104,920, CCTV footage of Greenaway performing the fraudulent transactions, receipts and the interview where he made admissions.

According to court documents, Westpac reimbursed the affected clients, leaving the bank as the sole victim in the matter.

On Wednesday, Greenaway’s defence lawyer, David Hemsworth conceded the section five threshold, where a court is satisfied there is no option other than full time imprisonment, was crossed.

However, Mr Hemsworth appealed to Magistrate Greg Grogin for an intensive corrections order so that his client could serve the sentence in the community, highlighting strong prospects of rehabilitation.

“An ICO is not out of range,” Mr Hemsworth said.

“It was only a matter of time before someone clued onto this [offending].”

Mr Hemsworth explained Greenaway had breached the trust of his employer, but confirmed his client “fully intends” on paying the money back.

He pointed towards Greenaway’s clean record as a mitigating factor, coupled with his “palpable sense of guilt and shame”.

“Your honour would be perhaps inclined to think sending him to prison may put a risk to the improvements he’s made,” Mr Hemsworth.

“In my submission the community can be deterred by the imposition of an ICO … it will be a lengthy ICO … [with] jail weighing over his head.

“The community will be on notice that the courts will not allow similar offending.”

Mr Hemsworth expressed his client’s willingness to engage with addressing his problems, including moving away from Dubbo to Newcastle and starting medication.

“I’m satisfied that he’s made particular efforts to deal with these issues,” Mr Hemsworth said.

“He’s taken strong steps in the right direction.”

Mr Grogin accepted the defence lawyer’s assertion, noting “genuine and true remorse” shown by Greenaway and “excellent prospects” of rehabilitation, evidenced in tendered references and reports.

“[His] current partner is a person who is providing a very stable relationship and atmosphere for him,” Mr Grogin said.

“In his affidavit he refers to [his partner] in glowing terms, [he] refers to her as a person who means a great deal to him [providing] a very stable platform to be living from.”

Mr Grogin told the court Greenaway spoke about his mother in a similar way.

“Why do I mention that?, [because] I know when he leaves … he will have support,” Mr Grogin continued.

In sentencing Greenaway, Mr Grogin accepted Mr Hemsworth’s concession that the section five threshold had been crossed, saying “to do otherwise would be foolish”.

“Greenaway knows what is in front of him,” Mr Grogin said.

“The sentence must send out a message, not just to Greenaway but also to the community.

“There needs to be a very strong general deterrence, that if you commit offences like this, you will go to jail.”

Greenaway was ultimately sentenced to 15 months full time imprisonment, with a non-parole period of eight months, making him eligible for parole on May 27 next year.

He was ordered by Mr Grogin to reimburse Westpac.