A former Darwin resident has been sentenced to two years in prison after defrauding her former employers, Jakes Steel and Welding, for nearly $90,000 over four years.
Most important points:
-
Kristy Gall was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended after three months
-
She pleaded guilty to two counts of obtaining benefits through fraud in April
-
She is ordered to pay $84,753 in restitution by October 2025
Kristy Gall pleaded guilty to two counts of getting benefits through fraud in April, and was convicted today in the Northern Territory Supreme Court.
The first count relates to 201 unauthorized transactions she made with a corporate credit card, while the second relates to Gall who paid herself recreational leave she was not entitled to, totaling $88,273 and two cents.
Gall’s jail term was retroactive to July 14 and will be suspended after three months.
She was also sentenced to a $84,753 restitution within three years of her release from prison.
Emotional toll ‘devastating’ for victims
Justice Jenny Blokland said the objective seriousness of Gall’s offense was around the middle, partly because of the amount of money involved.
“It’s not as high as many cases in this court, but certainly not at the bottom,” she said.
But she said it was also a breach of trust and the impact on “essentially a family business” was significant.
“Like them” [the business owners] saying in the victim statement… the emotional toll of being betrayed by someone they considered family… had a physical impact on them.”
“They don’t know if they’ll ever be able to trust anyone again.”
Justice Blokland said the duration of Gall’s violation, more than four years between 2014 and 2018, was also relevant to its severity.
Impact on the family being considered at sentencing
Justice Blokland said Gall was eligible for a 25 percent reduction in sentence for her early admission of guilt, which was of “significant benefit to justice” by avoiding trial, but that she was unable to obtain further leniency.
“Because you were not helping the police at the time … although this process would have taken some time, the transactions were easily attributable to you and the case could have been easily proven,” she said.
“I have noticed your attitude in court, which has turned out to be sad.
Earlier, the court heard that one of Gall’s daughters was heavily dependent on her mother due to a medical condition.
Justice Blokland said it was important to consider her child’s additional suffering in Gall’s sentencing.
Gall’s sentence includes an operational period of 17 months after she is released from prison, when she is not allowed to commit another offense punishable by imprisonment.
If she does not complete the return order, she will have to appear in court in October 2025 to show why she should not be incarcerated.