Date set for Renee Ferguson to fight Cricket Tasmania stealing charges in court

After years of delays, a former Cricket Tasmania receptionist at the centre of the Tim Paine sexting scandal will finally fight unrelated stealing charges. Find out more about the looming court clash.

Renee Ferguson outside the Hobart Magistrates Court earlier this year. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

A HEARING date has finally been set down for the woman at the centre of Tim Paine’s sexting scandal, over unrelated stealing charges.

Renee Ferguson, 49, appeared via Zoom in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Wednesday – her latest court hearing after years of adjournments, delays, and Ms Ferguson’s repeated failures to appear.

Ms Ferguson first pleaded not guilty to allegations she stole memberships and cash while working as a receptionist at Cricket Tasmania all the way back in July 2018.

Now at last, she will fight the charges at a two-day hearing from February 16 next year.

Her lawyer Todd Kovacic told Magistrate Michael Daly a number of key witnesses would give evidence at the hearing, including Nick Cummins – the former Cricket Tasmania CEO who now works in the same role at Cricket Victoria.

The court will also hear from Cricket Tasmania’s accountant Kat Carroll.

Police prosecutor Andrew Tye told the court that Ms Carroll was the main witness, as she was the person who’d first been notified about the alleged financial discrepancies and conducted an investigation.

Mr Daly told Ms Ferguson, who now lives interstate and is on bail, that she’d need to be present in Hobart for the hearing.

Ms Ferguson has pleaded not guilty to 62 counts of stealing and two counts of dishonestly acquiring a financial advantage.

It is alleged she fraudulently stole $5600 from Cricket Tasmania, where she worked between 2015 and 2017.

Prosecutors also claim she fraudulently obtained a $705 Cricket Tasmania junior and platinum membership, and a $339 Hobart Hurricanes family membership.

Ms Ferguson is separately suing Cricket Tasmania before the Federal Court, alleging she was sexually harassed by four former colleagues, including former Australian cricket captain Tim Paine.

Earlier this year, Ms Ferguson parted ways with high profile lawyer Greg Barns SC, and also told the court at the eleventh hour she wanted to maintain her not guilty plea, after having previously accepted a sentencing indication and just before Mr Daly was due to sentence her.

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Originally published as Date set for Renee Ferguson to fight Cricket Tasmania stealing charges in court