Ex Skye Sands employee Jessica Pollard jailed for $415,000 theft from Walter ‘Rusty’ French
A Clyde North mum won’t be seeing her kids for a while after she duped an Australian motor racing identity out of $415,000.
South East
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A Clyde North mum who concocted a cash-for-sand scam while working at peninsula quarry owned by an Australian motor racing identity has been jailed.
Jessica Pollard, 32, was sentenced in the County Court on Thursday to a 12-month jail term after pleading guilty to course of conduct theft and falsifying an account record charges.
Pollard, formerly known as Jessica Richardson-Ward, was a weighbridge attendant at Skye Sands quarry when she stole $415,600 between February 2011 and April 2015.
The court was told Pollard, without authority, sold sand at heavily discounted prices for cash to two customers then pocketed the cash for herself.
Some of the dodgy transactions were transferred directly to Pollard’s bank account, the court was told.
The fraudster issued bogus receipts to the customers who were unaware Pollard did not have authority to sell sand at discounted prices.
Pollard, who began working at the Harold Rd quarry in 2010, thieved more than $400,000 but the total loss to Skye Sands Pty Ltd was $812,000.
Skye Sands director Walter ‘Rusty’ French uncovered the lengthy racket when a customer asked him directly if the discounted sand deal could continue.
Mr French, an Australian motor racing identity, hauled Pollard in for questioning then commenced civil proceedings against his scoundrel ex-employee.
Pollard admitted her skulduggery and signed over property to Mr French including a Toyota Rukus, three motorcycles, a camper trailer and gym equipment.
Pollard, who was arrested in late-2018, told police she organised the cheap cash rates passed onto unsuspecting customers.
Pollard also put former Skye Sands site manager Daryl Tipper in the frame, telling police the deceased man “encouraged” her to pocket the cash and “split it with him”.
Pollard also said Mr Tipper had “instructed” her to get more cash customers but she didn’t want to.
The devious fraudster also claimed Mr Tipper told her to give customers the “impression” Mr French was aware of the discounts.
Pollard claimed she and Mr Tipper each received $120,000 and she blew her share on cars, a camper trailer, a wedding, holidays, furniture, bills and meals.
Mr Tipper’s name was first put forward as a possible co-offender only after he had died in a road accident, the court was told.
Amanda Burrnard, for Pollard, submitted her client declared bankruptcy but was making every effort to repay the stolen cash.
The court heard Pollard’s father lost his property with more than $173,000 of sale proceeds repaid to Mr French’s company.
Ms Burrnard asked Judge Richard Smith, during an earlier hearing, to consider deferring sentence, telling the court Pollard feared a conviction would result in her losing her current job.
“It does seem to me that this is a matter, it isn’t something that you, you know, that you just did something silly, on the spur of the moment,” Judge Smith said.
“This is a carefully thought out repetitive theft over years, it’ll be different if she did it once and then immediately regret that she ever did it …
“The community has to know if you rob your employer you’re likely to be punished severely.”
Prosecutor Andrew Sprague submitted Pollard’s offending “clearly involved a breach in her employer’s trust”.
“It’s also a situation where money was not taken out of desperate financial circumstances …,” Mr Sprague said.
“It was also not a case where it was taken for some other purpose (such as gambling) … here the money was spent on personal goods, vehicles, a wedding, a holiday, it’s a case of enrichment your honour.”
“Some judges have referred to it as greed not need,” Judge Smith said.
Mr Sprague also noted there was no material before the court which proves or contradicts Pollard’s “version of events” regarding Mr Tipper.
“I note the allegation was not made at a time whilst he was alive … what do I make of that?” Judge Smith said.
Pollard, a mother of two who told the court she now works as a direct care worker, was also handed a two-year community correction order.
