Darren Cassidy: Oldfields Scaffolding South East Queensland manager guilty of theft, fraud

A former manager of a scaffolding outfit on the northern Gold Coast participated in a scheme by which multiple employees skimmed the cream by claiming scrap payments for themselves, a court has heard.

Oldfields Scaffolding Southeast Queensland, at Yatala, the victim business of Darren Cassidy. Picture: Google Street View

A former manager of a scaffolding outfit on the northern Gold Coast participated in a scheme by which multiple employees skimmed the cream by claiming scrap payments for themselves, a court has heard.

New Zealand-born Belmont man Darren Cassidy, 45, appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty to stealing as a clerk/servant, receiving tainted property, and two counts of fraud.

The court heard Cassidy’s offending commenced shortly after he was employed as branch manager at Oldfields Scaffolding Southeast Queensland, located at 43 Business St, Yatala, in April 2023.

The business had a policy wherein damaged or obsolete scaffolding was scrapped via QMR Recyclers, which was located nearby, and the funds paid out via electronic bank transfer into an Oldfields business account.

However, on multiple occasions, either Cassidy himself, or employees acting with his imprimatur, pocketed the cash from the scrap.

The scheme was discovered on February 21 last year, when upper management at Oldfields found a “significant load” of scrap metal missing.

Belmont man Darren Cassidy, 45. Picture: Alex Treacy

Analysis of CCTV revealed that four days prior, on February 17, another employee, who has since been dealt with by the Caboolture Magistrates Court, had picked up two large loads of scrap and taken it for recycling.

That employee made extensive admissions, which implicated Cassidy in the scheme.

Subsequent analysis of business records undertaken by Oldfields indicated that of the $42,711.49 worth of scrap recycled during the relevant period, only $22,650.10 was legitimate – the rest had been siphoned off, albeit not exclusively by Cassidy.

The court was told that of the illicit funds received by Cassidy, some was spent for the benefit of the employees under his management – things like lunches, barbecues, booze and the office Christmas party – but large sums were pocketed by the defendant, who was battling simultaneously a gambling addiction and the breakdown of his marriage, which left him homeless.

Defence lawyer Ross Oden told the court thieving of scrap metal at the workplace was “rife” and predated his client’s employment there.

“People involved in those behaviours saw in my client someone willing to bend the rules,” he submitted.

Cassidy’s employment at Oldfields coincided with a low point in his life as he grappled with the breakdown of his marriage of two decades, and loss of accommodation that entailed.

“The dismemberment of the fabric of his life caused extreme emotional distress,” Mr Oden said.

He noted his client, who had a very minor criminal history prior to Wednesday’s proceedings, had reversed his misfortune since being charged.

He was now employed on good money as a work health and safety officer at a civil construction firm, secured stable accommodation, was seeking psychological help for his gambling addiction and other mental health issues, and was volunteering his time as a rugby league coach (Cassidy formerly turned out for the Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup).

Magistrate Louisa Pink placed Cassidy on 12 months’ probation and ordered he pay restitution to Oldfields.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Darren Cassidy: Oldfields Scaffolding South East Queensland manager guilty of theft, fraud