Firm could get share in thieving worker's house

A Christchurch transport firm could become part-owner of a home belonging to a thieving employee.

The house, in suburban Belfast, is on the market to repay the nearly $150,000 stolen by Vanessa Joan Orr from her employers over three years.

Defence counsel Paul Norcross told Christchurch District Court today there had been expressions of interest in the house, but no offers yet.

Judge Jane Farish adjourned sentencing for four to six weeks to give the property a better chance of being sold.

A new sentencing date will be set tomorrow.

Orr admitted one representative count of theft from her employer, involving 95 transactions from 2005 to 2008 and total losses of $144,180.

She and her husband have equity totalling $100,000 in the Belfast house, which has a valuation of $280,000.

Repayment had been offered at $300 a fortnight but Judge Farish said that was not enough to recompense the transport firm which was carrying the losses at present. She wanted to arrange for the firm to receive a lump sum.

She said repayment of a large part of the reparations could make the difference at sentencing between a jail term and home detention.

"I would only consider home detention if there is a realistic means of paying back reparations, otherwise it doesn't serve the sentencing principles of deterrence and denunciation."

The owner of the transport firm was in court and said it was keen to get the $100,000 and accepted there could be a delay while the house was marketed.

Judge Farish said that if the house did not sell in the time allowed, a legal document setting out the company's financial interest in the proceeds of the sale could be drawn up in the meantime.

"This would give you some certainty that the money is going to be paid," she said.

Orr remains on bail.

- NZPA