Couple faked death threats to get days off

AN ADELAIDE couple who faked death threats by sending their workplace parcels containing kids’ clothes covered in fake blood will be sentenced today.

Tabitha Lean and her partner Simon Peisley scammed their workplace by sending fake death threats. Picture Greg Higgs

A MARRIED Adelaide couple who faked death threats to score paid holidays and time off from their government jobs are set to be sentenced today.

Simon Peisley and Tabitha Lean sent dozens of threats to their office, home and their children’s school to score time off from their jobs at South Australia’s Aboriginal health service.

They were found guilty in November of more than 40 counts of deception over the two-year scam and will be sentenced in the District Court on Tuesday. Some letters were sent with items of their children’s clothing stained with fake blood, while other threats were painted on the walls and windows of their home. The couple netted paid holidays and time off because many of the threats related to their work.

They also made a compensation claim, with the state government agreeing to pay a $580,000 settlement before they were caught.

Peisley and Lean were arrested after police covertly broke into their flat and marked a stack of envelopes and paper with “invisible ink”.

The next threat the couple handed over to police was tested with a UV light to reveal the markings the officers had made.

During sentencing submissions Peisley offered to take the fall and serve jail time in the hope this would keep his wife out of prison.

But prosecutor Chris Edge said the crimes were too serious for either of the pair to avoid jail.

Simon Peisley who along with partner Tabitha Lean sent their workplace fake death threats. Picture Greg Higgs