Lockington: James and Yvonne Scott jailed over $870K RT Edgar Portsea, WorkSafe rort

A “community-minded” elderly Lockington couple have been jailed after they ripped off almost $800,000 from a former employer.

A “community-minded” elderly Lockington couple will have to pay back almost $900,000 after they ripped off a former employer while also fraudulently claiming WorkCover.

Yvonne Scott, 71, and James Scott, 78, were jailed in the County Court after they earlier pleaded guilty to four theft charges and obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

The pair, who separated in 2007 but continued to live together at the 124 acre Strathallan Rd property, have not provided any explanation for the staggering scam other than: “We needed the money”.

The court heard Ms Scott had abused her position working remotely as RT Edgar Portsea office manager to swindle $771,307 over a four-year period from 2015 to late 2018 through 129 different transactions.

She knew the company would write-off the cost of advertising yearly, hiding the missing funds among those transactions during reconciliation.

RT Edgar Portsea director Colin Anderson was tipped off to the rort by a WorkCover investigator who discovered “suspicious transactions”, ordering an internal audit in late 2018.

Mr Anderson told the court he found it hard to trust staff again after learning an employee of more than 16 years had stolen from him.

He later sold the prestige real estate agency.

James Scott (pictured) and Yvonne Scott were jailed after a four year rort of Ms Scott's former employer and WorkSafe. Picture: Facebook.

At that point, Ms Scott was already on the WorkCover radar after receiving more than $100,000 in payments between October 2015 and October 2018, claiming she couldn’t work because of her “anxiety and depression”.

Mr Scott later told police he was unaware of her thefts, saying he “never had a need to question the money coming in”, despite her $45,000 salary.

He admitted however, to helping his wife during the WorkCover fraud.

Judge Trevor Wraight said the fraudster pair had shown “little extravagance” in their spending over the years.

“The money seems to have been used to fund their day-to-day lives and the running of the rural property,” he said.

“Either way no money has been recovered.”

The court heard the pair had no prior criminal record and had a demonstrated history of being “caring and community-minded”, organising local agricultural shows and raising money for charity.

But Judge Wraight agreed the elderly couple had shown a “high degree of dishonesty” stealing from both a private business and the public purse.

Ms Scott was jailed for three years in the County Court last week and will be eligible for parole after 18 months, while Mr Scott, who had a “lesser role”, was jailed for two years and four months.

He will be eligible for parole in 14 months.

Both offenders did not oppose a compensation order, and were told to return the money.