A woman has been sentenced to jail for defrauding $62,000 from a Melbourne conveyancing firm.
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Ricquelle Marston-McKnight, 24, of Strathallan Crescent, Goulburn, came before Goulburn Local Court on February 17. She pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault, and dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.
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Magistrate Geraldine Beattie said the defendant was offered a job online where money was transferred into her bank account by a man named Dwayne Meyers. She said Marston-McKnight then moved the money into another account and kept 10 per cent.
"Agreed facts set out how a conveyancing business in Melbourne was essentially the victim," she said.
"Legal proceedings began in Victoria, then it turned out the bank account that received the $62,000 was [Marston-McKnight's] account."
The magistrate told the court that in September, 2018 the money "landed" into the accused's account.
"This is objectively a serious fraud offence involving a significant amount of money," she said.
"[Marston-McKnight] had to be aware from the outset that this was dodgy."
Magistrate Beattie said people had "lost sleep" because of Marston-McKnight's actions and it "impacted on the integrity of the whole bank system".
Solicitor Tracey Annan told the court that police investigations into Meyers had been "fruitless" and that he was allegedly located in Palm Beach, Florida.
The magistrate presented to the court that the two assault matters were related to incidents in February and June, 2020. She said the first offence took place at a licensed venue in Goulburn while the other occurred on the victim's property. She said Marston-McKnight was "significantly impacted by alcohol" at the time.
Magistrate Beattie said there was a "significant" subjective case with the accused having a history of abuse, violent relationships and lack of family.
Marston-McKnight was sentenced to 15-months' full-time imprisonment with a non-parole period of five months. She also received a two-year Community Corrections Order.
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