Community detention for pokie theft

A 67-year-old former company director, convicted of stealing pokie machine profits, was today sentenced to six months community detention, 160 hours of community work and ordered to make reparation of $6,000.

Patrick Francis Williams of Cambridge pleaded guilty in the Auckland District Court in February to five charges of theft by a person in a special relationship totalling $93, 127.

Williams was a director of companies which operated gambling venues for the gaming machine society, North and South Trust Ltd. Venue operators must bank the profits from a society’s gaming machines into the society’s designated bank account. The society is then responsible for the distribution of grants to community organisations.

Internal Affairs Director of Gambling Compliance, Debbie Despard, says Williams either failed to bank the pokie profits or significant portions of sums that were deposited were dishonoured.

“He also failed to keep to an agreement made with the incorporated society, North and South Trust Ltd, to pay back the money,” Debbie Despard said.

“The community is the ultimate beneficiary of the gaming machine proceeds, so when someone fails to bank the proceeds it is community groups that miss out.”

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