Woman accused of $1.42m theft had 'authorisation' - defence

Suzanne Marie Davies, 60, is accused of stealing $1.42 million from her Wellington employer Zip Plumbing Plus' between 2008 and 2012. Photo / NZME.

A woman accused of stealing $1.42 million from her Wellington employer is arguing payments into her back account were for company matters.

Suzanne Marie Davies, 60, is accused of siphoning off Zip Plumbing Plus' money between 2008 and 2012.

In the Wellington District Court today, defence lawyer John Dean continued his lengthy questioning of Detective Constable Paul Agnew, the police officer in charge of the case.

The defence said Davies did not act dishonestly and Dean asked Agnew what was expected of her if her boss told her to "do everything that's required to be done" to make sure payments were made. Could that be taken as "sufficient authorisation" to make payments? Dean asked.

"I don't know that her employer said that," Agnew replied.

Dean said Davies was told by the boss to "sort it out" and "do what you like, I haven't got time for this".

"That amounts to an authorisation given to her to do what ever's in the interests of the company."

Agnew disagreed and also wondered why, as the defence is arguing, Davies would use her own account for business transactions.

When asked, he said he did not make inquiries about payments going out of Davies' bank account.

Davies, a long-term employee of Zip Plumbing Plus in the northern Wellington suburb of Tawa, denies 300 charges of dishonestly using documents and one of theft by a person in a special relationship.

The Crown accuses Davies of misappropriating $1.42m, while the defence says that was not the case and she sometimes paid for work transactions on her credit card and from her own account, payments that were refunded to her.

The trial continues.