Fraudster ex-principal resigns as JP

Martin Elliott leaves the Hamilton District Court with his wife, Viv, after pleading guilty to two fraud charges. Photo / Christine Cornege

Papamoa Justice of the Peace Martin Elliott has resigned after being convicted of fraud.

Elliott, a former principal of Hamilton's Fraser High School, pleaded guilty in January to two charges of using a document for pecuniary advantage and was last month sentenced to 40 hours' community work.

The charges related to incidents in 2006 and 2009, in which he used altered invoices to obtain about $6000. In one case, Elliott had work done on his personal property that was invoiced as part of a school construction project.

Associate Justice Minister Chester Borrows last week requested that Mr Elliott tender his resignation, and today (Mon) confirmed he had received and accepted it.

Mr Borrows said he had considered a submission from Mr Elliott that said the conviction should not prevent him continuing as a Justice of the Peace, and he absolutely disagreed.

"Mr Elliott defrauded the school he was entrusted to run, and to allow him to remain in office would bring disrepute to the office of Justice of the Peace," Mr Borrows said.

"Justices of the Peace have always been people of high standing in our communities. The nature of their role means they must be people of unquestionable honesty and integrity."