Hoppers Crossing man jailed for ripping off taxpayers in Newstart Allowance rort

A “devoted” charity worker who pocketed more than $73,000 of taxpayers’ money in a Centrelink rort spanning eight years, has been jailed.

Gregory Leaman, pictured with partner Lisa Heinrichs, has been jailed for ripping off taxpayers in a Centrelink rort. Picture: Facebook

A Hoppers Crossing man who pocketed more than $73,000 as part of an eight-year Centrelink rort has been jailed.

Gregory Porter Leaman, 46, pleaded guilty in the County Court to four charges of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

The court heard Leaman, a long-time member of the Carlton Football Club cheer squad and a former Boy Scout, lied about his income on at least 148 occasions and claimed $73,728 in Newstart allowances he wasn’t entitled to.

Between 2008 and 2016, Leaman earnt $205,753 despite telling Centrelink he had only made $7767 in that time.

Judge Gabriele Cannon said Leaman had “behaved in a most deliberative fashion … in order to take taxpayers’ money”.

“(It was) money which you knew very well you were not entitled to,” she said.

“Your offending is serious and it calls for a sentence which is of a severity that is appropriate in all the circumstances.”

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But Leaman’s lawyer argued his client should not be sent to jail as he was the full-time carer for his partner, Lisa Heinrichs, who suffered from a range of medical conditions.

Ms Heinrichs told the court Leaman drove her to her weekly doctor visits and helped her with wound dressing changes, showering and housework.

She said she would not be able to get to medical appointments without Leaman as her illnesses meant she could not walk to the bus stop and she could not afford Uber or taxi fares.

But Judge Cannon said despite Ms Heinrichs’ serious medical issues, she was not satisfied a jail term would cause “exceptional hardship”.

She also expressed concern at Leaman’s lack of remorse, especially given he had previously been found guilty of similar charges after he was caught defrauding the government of $17,570 between 2006 and 2007.

“In view of the fact that you started committing frauds in 2006 … the offending before me could not be said to be out of character or abberational,” she said.

“I am unable to find that you have a good deal of remorse in relation to your behaviour and how it impacts, save that you do feel sorry for the position you are now in and how it may impact upon you and your partner.

“Offending of the kind in which you engaged is to be discouraged strongly.

“It is a great tax on the public purse, taxpayers’ money and also it makes it harder for people who are genuinely entitled to benefits to jump all the hurdles that come with making such applications because of offending such as yours.”

Judge Cannon said Leaman’s “devotion to charity work”, including 22 years counting donations at the Good Friday Appeal and helping run weekend camps for underprivileged children, meant the had “guardedly fairly good” prospects of rehabilitation.

Leaman was convicted and sentenced to three years’ jail but will be released in nine months on a three-year good behaviour bond.

If the order is breached, Leaman would be forced to pay $5000 and could be ordered to serve the rest of his sentence behind bars.

He was also ordered to repay the $73,728 he stole.