Childcare centre manager sentenced to nine months’ jail after rorting Centrelink of more than $25k

A CHILDCARE centre manager has been sentenced to nine months’ jail after rorting the government of more than $25,000 in Centrelink payments

AN ALICE Springs woman has received a fully suspended sentence after rorting the government of more than $25,000 in Centrelink payments.

Annette Cunningham appeared in Alice Springs Local Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to obtaining financial advantage by deception and causing risk of loss to another person.

The court heard Cunningham had paid restitution for the money she obtained by fraud over a period of about 15 months.

In sentencing, Judge Meredith Huntingford said the fact Cunningham used her position as business manager of a childcare centre in order to perpetrate that fraud was an aggravating factor.

MORE CENTRALIAN NEWS

Acting PM visits Tennant Creek to announce funding for study into future rail terminal

Young Arrernte doctor returns home to Alice Springs to heal others

Three youths arrested over spate of criminal offences in Alice Springs

Move to introduce park fees welcomed as ‘a positive’ for Larapinta Trail by tourism operators

“It was a course of conduct involving numerous individual false declarations,” Ms Huntingford said.

“I have taken into account you have co-operated … in particular your submissions to police in 2018.

“You have no doubt had that hanging over your head for more than a couple of years.

“This is the sort of offending which is fairly easy to do.

CENTRALIAN ADVOCATE sizzling new deal: Get all your news for just $5 a month

“There is a need for general deterrence so the sentence for this needs to send a message to other people that this sort of offending will not be tolerated by the court, because the social security system requires upon people doing the right thing in order to provide to those in need.”

She was sentenced to nine months’ jail, fully suspended, with a two year good behaviour bond.

Follow @jasmineaburke