A gambling addict jailed after taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from his Brisbane employers punted away more than half a million of it as 'the bright lights of poker machines' soothed his anxiety, a court has heard.
A severe gambling addict jailed after taking hundreds of thousands from his Brisbane employers, punted away more than half a million of it as "the bright lights of the casino and poker machines" mitigated his anxiety, a court has heard.
Former payroll manager Brendan Wayne Dodd on Wednesday pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by an employee of at least $100,000.
Brisbane's District Court heard Dodd was working at Vita Group Ltd in Albion when he made 99 transfers totalling $411,000 over two years and five months to himself, modifying records to disguise the payments.
The 39-year-old, with no previous criminal history, took a new job at Fitness and Lifestyle Group in South Brisbane in September 2021.
Over about the next year and a half he transferred $448,000 from that company to his own accounts by lodging false payments, the court heard.
Crown prosecutor Lydia Devereaux said a police investigation showed he had spent about $560,000 gambling at casinos and used some money for surgery.
Ms Devereaux tendered letters from the two companies which detailed the impact of the offending.
Barrister Angus Edwards, KC, said a pathological gambling addiction explained why "this bright young man" began offending for the first time aged 34, 17 years after he'd entered the workforce.
Mr Edwards said his client moved from regional Queensland to Brisbane where he became socially isolated and with significant work stressors he started gambling, first taking out personal loans and maxing out his credit cards before he began taking money from work.
A psychologist's report indicated Dodd exhibited obsessive compulsive disorder symptoms which were masked by gambling. He was deemed to suffer a severe and chronic form of pathological gambling which is an issue about self regulation, the court heard.
"He was unable to regulate himself because the bright lights of the casino and
poker machines turned his endorphins on, so it became an addiction," Mr Edwards said.
"Of course, it is still criminal behaviour and deserving of appropriate punishment, but the punishment, … should be reduced, because it's a case of need not greed."
Mr Edwards said his client was remorseful and had self excluded from casinos and other gambling venues.
"He has not worked since because he's been racked by guilt and intends to never handle money in the workplace again," he said.
Judge Michael Burnett said it was concerning that Dodd had been able to deflect queries when questions were raised at work and there had been significant impacts on the businesses.
"There is little doubt in my mind that the fraud would have had serious implications to both organisations from both a financial and reputational perspective," he said.
"Fellow former employees suffer and those who will have confidence in the operation of the business also lose confidence as well as reduced dividends and the like.
"It did involve on your part a significant breach of trust."
But Judge Burnett accepted Dodd had lesser moral culpability because of his mental health condition and that the offending was out of charter as indicated by character references.
The risk of reoffending was low and could be further reduced by rehabilitation the court heard
Dodd was sentenced to seven years jail with a parole release date in September next year.
