Fired employee kept reaping company benefits
A fired employee decided to keep taking advantage of company benefits by racking up more than $700 of free fuel on a stolen company card.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A fired employee decided to keep taking advantage of company benefits by racking up more than $700 of free fuel on a stolen company card.
Police prosecutor Stephen Potter told the Maroochydore Magistrates Court that Dylan Kevin Joseph Blacklock's employment contract was terminated from a landscaping business on July 1, 2019 due to not showing up for work.
Sergeant Potter told the court Blacklock, 30, returned his uniform a week later to the Sunshine Coast company, Bretts Plants, but kept the company fuel card.
Mum gets partner to stuff pregnancy test down pants
Mum loses job after spending spree with colleague's card
The court heard the informant received a statement from BP on January 1 with a number of unlawful uses.
The card was then cancelled.
Checks revealed that the card had been used on five occasions from July 6 to November 9, to a combined total of more than $700.
The court heard Blacklock was caught drug driving on Yandina-Coolum Rd on July 9, 2020.
He told police he smoked marijuana three days prior.
Blacklock was also questioned about stealing the company card.
"He made full admissions to not returning the card," Sgt Potter said.
"He states he was in a real bad place at the time and he only intended on using the card once to purchase fuel.
"The defendant stated that after the first time it was just easier to use the fuel card then to pay for the fuel."
When questioned about where the fuel card was, Blacklock said he cut it up after it was declined.
The court heard Blacklock has since paid back $400 of the $722.64 after setting up a payment plan and said he would pay back the rest.
Blacklock pleaded guilty to seven charges in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday, including stealing by clerks and servants and fraud.
Blacklock's lawyer Matt Cooper said Blacklock had a new job lined up in Victoria but it fell through because of COVID-19.
"He effectively used the card to pay for fuel to get to NSW where a job was," he said.
"He is extremely remorseful and embarrassed for his actions."
Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist fined Blacklock $400 for the drug driving and disqualified him for driving for three months.
He was fined $1200 for all the other charges and ordered to pay the remaining restitution.
A conviction was recorded for the traffic charge but not for the criminal charges.
Public asked to help police investigate mystery behind submerged car
Police have called on the public to come forward with any information they might have following the discovery and retrieval of a car from the Burnett River in Bundaberg on Wednesday.
‘He had no chance’: Moment wife knew husband had been killed on hwy
On hearing a motorbike and truck had crashed on the Bruce Hwy, a Qld woman desperately dialled the Bluetooth on her husband’s helmet, waiting for the answer that would never come.
Why teen was arrested while trying to buy prawns for his mum
A teenager who was sent to Coles to get prawns for his mum, soon found himself in hot water with the security guard, and then with police.
Bestiality greyhound racer gets dog ownership ban overturned
A former greyhound trainer who pleaded guilty to bestiality has had a dog ownership banning order overturned just months after it was made. *Distressing content
Pants-down playground menace in poo for ‘painting’ police car
A “heavily intoxicated” mum sparked a flurry of triple-0 calls by screaming at strangers and “crawling through the bushes” near a playground. But her most disturbing acts were still to come. *Graphic.
Police investigate hooning incident after two allegedly flee crash scene
Bundaberg police are investigating after two people allegedly fled the scene of a crash that involved a vehicle doing burnouts.