Charity fraudster Lizzie Miller sentenced after stealing from Hope Centre

Lizzie Millar has avoided jail after pleaded guilty to secretly fleecing thousands of dollars from Warrawong’s Hope Centre, but a strange twist has been dealt to her and her victims.

Lizzie Millar arriving at Wollongong Local Court on June 14. Photo: Nine News Illawarra.

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After stealing thousands of dollars from a now defunct Illawarra charity, Lizzie Millar was hit with a 22-month intensive corrections order, but her victims Jeff and Gally Dakers have been dealt a life sentence, revealing Millar’s daughter is marrying their son.

Millar faced Wollongong Local Court for sentencing on Friday, after she plead guilty to secretly fleecing thousands of dollars from Warrawong’s Hope Centre over the two years she was employed as general manager.

The theft left directors Jeff and Gally with no choice but to shut down the charity, which provided food and financial assistance to those in need.

Millar’s offences were first uncovered after an internal audit in November 2016, which revealed discrepancies in the charity’s financial statements, which Millar had day-to-day control over.

Jeff Dakers outside Wollongong Court on June 14.

The mother-of-four was charged with fraud in December 2016 and hit with a second set of charges in September 2017, after it was found she had made unauthorised transfers from Hope Centre bank accounts to her own between November 2014 and July 2016.

Millar was originally accused of stealing almost $100,000 from the charity, but due to lack of records, only $17,000 could be proven.

Millar was supported by her husband as she appeared before Magistrate Roger Clisdell on Friday, visibly anxious as the defence and prosecution made their final submissions.

Millar’s defence barrister Robert Steward argued she had a low risk of reoffending and that her offences were not suited to a full-time jail sentence.

Prosecutor Paul Bush argued Millar’s theft was a “fundamental breach of trust” and that she had shown little remorse for her actions.

“I’m troubled by [one of the reports], in essence she blames the director and blames the organisation [for her actions],” he said.

Former Hope Centre volunteers supported Jeff and Gally Dakers during the proceedings on June 14.

He argued Millar should be sentenced to a full-time jail sentence. However, Magistrate Clisdell disagreed and said it was time Millar gave back to the community.

“The appropriate way to sentence is one served in the community,” he said.

As a result Millar was sentenced to a 22-month prison term to be served in the community as an intensive corrections order with 400 hours of community service.

Millar’s former employers, Mr and Mrs Dakers sat in the courtroom as her sentence was handed down, Mrs Dakers shaking her head as she looked at her former colleague and friend.

Outside court Mr Dakers said he and his wife would soon launch civil action to recover the money Millar stole.

“She left us with a lot of debts,” he said. “We’ve still got a $14,000 tax debt, $30,000 worth of unpaid bills, and $30,000 in unpaid tax.”

While Mr Dakers said the end of the proceedings felt like “a chapter had been closed” he revealed Millar would still be a part of his family’s lives.

“Her daughter’s engaged to our son,” he said. “That’s a wow money isn’t it? She’s basically going to be a family member.”

“There’ll always be issues, but, all families have issues.”

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