By Aneeka Simonis
A LONGWARRY accounts worker who embezzled $299,000 from her Dandenong construction company to fund a lifestyle she thought she was entitled to has been sentenced to jail.
Kerrie Michelle Van der Heyden, 38, spent two and a half years falsifying invoices paid by her employer, Hartcon Australia Pty Ltd, to a personal bank account until she was caught red-handed in April last year.
The County Court of Victoria heard Heyden forged 19 invoices, totalling $299,000, between 19 October 2012 and 17 March 2015, up until she was caught in April trying to sneak through two invoices totalling $18,000.
Heyden was sentenced to two years and seven months’ jail on Friday 18 November after pleading to three charges of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one charge of attempting to obtain a financial advantage by deception.
The court heard Heyden was employed by Hartcon Australia Pty Ltd in May 2011, and was promoted two months later to a position which required her to authorise invoice payments.
All falsified documents appeared to have been lodged by a regular supplier, Starjan Pty Ltd, and were paid into a personal bank account operated by Heyden.
His Honour Judge Dean said Heyden was in a “significant position of trust”, and that her offending only came to light by chance.
In an affidavit, Heyden told her employer-embezzled funds had been spent on home renovations, wedding and honeymoon costs and general living expenses.
The court heard no money has been returned to the Dandenong company, with all costs borne by its insurer.
“In my opinion, your offending was motivated by a desire to fund in part a lifestyle that you believed that you were entitled to and, accordingly, your moral culpability must be regarded as significant,” Judge Dean said.
Heyden’s counsel suggested a community corrections order would be suitable for Heyden’s offending.
However, Judge Dean said the offending required serious sentencing, and questioned if Heyden understood the seriousness of her ongoing offending.
“I do not believe that you truly understand the seriousness of your crimes and the extent of your persistent criminal dishonesty.”
Heyden grew up on a Longwarry farm, and spent many years actively involved in the community.
She was employed by a Bendigo construction company at the time of sentencing.
Heyden will be eligible for parole 12 months into her sentence.
