An accountant who stole more than $80,000 from her local surf life-saving club, parent teacher association and her elderly mother to fund a gambling addiction, has lost a long-running legal battle to keep her identity a secret. Dunedin surf life-saving and swimming identity Lynn Robertson pleaded guilty to three charges of theft by a person in a special relationship.
A district court judge sentenced her to four months' home detention and 200 hours community work.
The court heard that Robertson stole the money between 2009 and 2011 to fund her gambling habit.
In her role as treasurer of a surf life saving club, she admitted stealing $24,654.60, and while treasurer of a parent teacher association stole $3000.
The court also heard that while having power of attorney over her mother's bank account, she stole $54,358.93.