Jodie Elizabeth Fletcher, 45, dental nurse, pleads guilty to four charges over a $77,000 tax fraud

Former dental nurse Jodie Elizabeth, 45, has pleaded guilty to a $77,000 tax fraud, which she said was committed during a tough time in her life when she was using meth.

Magistrate Scott Luxton sentenced Fletcher to 18 months jail, but ordered that she be released immediately on a three-year $1500 good behaviour bond. Picture: Brendan Radke

A former dental nurse from Cairns was on meth and benefits when she falsely claimed to be running a million-dollar business, a court has been told.

Jodie Irene Fletcher, 45, pleaded guilty in the Cairns Magistrates Court to four tax fraud-related charges: two each of obtaining financial benefit by deception and attempting to gain financial benefit by deception between March and April 2022.

She was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, which was suspended immediately for three years.

The court was told Fleming was paid $36,400 by the Australian Taxation Office, and attempted to gain a further $40,803 in the $77,230 fraud.

The Commonwealth prosecutor said Fleming activated an Australian Business Number and lodged four false Business Activity Statements, inventing $1 million worth of business activity for a three-month period.

Jodie Elizabeth Fletcher, 45,submitted four false BAS forms, gaining more than $40,000 from the ATO

She described the fraud as “blatant” and “absurd”.

Defence solicitor Ken Cuthbertson said Fleming was the primary carer for two family members with high needs.

He said she was clean 18 months clean from the methamphetamines she had been taking at the time of the crime.

He said Fleming had taken drugs from time to time throughout her life and had turned to meth in the midst of challenging times in her life and relationships.

“It was people in this (drug-taking) group, who encouraged her to engage in this behaviour,” Mr Cuthbertson said.

He said the explanation was “no excuse” and noted Fleming had begun to pay back the money, with more than $3000 paid

Magistrate Scott Luxton aid Fletcher had abused a system that was intentionally easy to use so that it was not too onerous for small businesses.

“This offending is viewed seriously; you dishonestly sought money from a system that is reliant on the honesty of the recipients,” Mr Luxton said.

Magistrate Luxton said Fletcher took advantage of a lodgement process based on trust, designed to make life simpler for small businesses. Picture: Brendan Radke

“This reliance upon honesty enables the system to operate in a manner which is least disruptive and time-consuming for those people who operate small businesses legitimately and honestly.”

He noted Fleming was on probation at the time of the offence.

In sentencing Fletcher to 18 months imprisonment, which he suspended immediately on a three-year $1500 good behaviour bond, Magistrate Luxton accepting that her heavy carer responsibilities for two family members constituted “exceptional circumstances”, and actual imprisonment would greatly affect her dependent family members.

Originally published as Jodie Elizabeth Fletcher, 45, dental nurse, pleads guilty to four charges over a $77,000 tax fraud