Former Labor MP Craig Thomson facing new fraud charges over Covid payments

The former Labor MP will face four charges over alleged fraudulent applications for natural disaster and Covid-19 government relief.

Craig Thomson and his then partner Zoe Arnold. Picture: Stuart: McEvoy

Former federal Labor MP Craig Thomson will face a magistrate this morning after he was arrested and charged hours after pleading guilty to using a carriage service to menace, harass and offend and three counts of contravening an apprehended violence order.

The 57-year-old was arrested outside a daycare centre about 2.30pm on Tuesday for allegedly breaching an AVO and is in custody at Gosford Police Station on the NSW central coast. He will face Gosford Local Court on Wednesday morning on a fresh charge of contravening an AVO.

He will also face four new fraud charges in regards to alleged fraudulent applications for natural disaster and Covid-19 pandemic government relief worth $28,000.

Thompson has been charged with two counts of dishonestly ­obtaining fin­ancial advantage by deception, publishing misleading material to obtain advantage and making a false document to obtain financial advantage.

On Tuesday evening, he was denied bail by police.

NSW Police said in a statement detectives from the State Crime Command’s Financial Crimes Squad travelled to Gosford Police Station on Tuesday following Thomson’s arrest.

“Police will allege in court that (Thomson) made fraudulent applications for the Small Business Covid-19 Support grant and the Covid-19 Small Business Hardship grant - totalling $25,000 - using falsified information and documentation,” they said.

“The man also allegedly submitted a fraudulent application for JobSaver payments of $3000 a fortnight, which was not approved or paid.

“Further, the man allegedly fraudulently signed and submitted a document for the purpose of obtaining a reduction in rent,” they said.

It is understood he engaged with his former partner, Zoe ­Arnold, on Tuesday afternoon, allegedly in breach of a final AVO made in court on that morning.

The final AVO, which was made for two years, banned him from going within 50m of Ms Arnold’s residence and workplace, and from assaulting, threatening, stalking, harassing or intimidating her or anyone with whom she had a domestic relationship.

He is not allowed to contact or approach her in any way unless via court-approved counselling or mediation, or through a lawyer.

“I feel incredibly let down by the justice system. Enough is enough,” Ms Arnold said on ­Tuesday.

Court documents obtained by The Australian reveal how Thomson sent in excess of 140 emails to Ms Arnold after they separated last year after police raided the Terrigal home they shared.

In one email, Mr Thomson wrote he felt at times he wanted to “completely destroy” his former partner and mother of his three children, and another said he was “out having sex with a hot Brazilian model”.

The documents also state in December last year Thomson planned to “expose” personal details about Ms Arnold, and made “several references to the victim’s sex life” and referenced her employment.

Former Labor politician Craig Thomson leaves Gosford Police Station on the NSW Central Coast. Picture: David Swift

Appearing before Magistrate Michael Antrum at Gosford Local Court on Tuesday morning, Thomson was convicted and sentenced to a Conditional Release Order for a period of 18 months for the using a carriage service to menace, harass and offend charge.

He was found guilty, but not convicted, of three counts of contravening an apprehended violence order.

The court documents state Thomson used his personal email address from October last year to send the emails, with Ms Arnold asking him to cease contact. Ms Arnold’s lawyer also requested all communications go through her lawyer’s office.

Ms Arnold went to police in December after receiving the emails, in which she said she felt “intimidated, harassed and anxious” and fearful that Thomson’s behaviour would escalate.

“There are times when I just have wanted to completely destroy you and take away everything you have … And I could still try and indeed get some satisfaction from that,” an agreed fact sheet details one email as saying.

“This will surprise you but as well as absolutely hating you as much as I have … I do still love you.”

It was also revealed Thomson threatened to withhold their children from Ms Arnold on several occasions.

Magistrate Antrum said two emails Thomson sent were a “blatant and calculated use of technology meant to intimidate and harass the victim”.

“People are entitled to be free of that tech interference,” he said. “Hopefully the children were shielded from such disgraceful behaviour.”