Fraudster 'trying to save' support centre

A sexual abuse counsellor says she defrauded ACC of more than $8000 in order to save a local counselling and support centre from closing.

In New Plymouth District Court yesterday, Lorraine Jans, 59, formerly of Taranaki Safer Centre, admitted 22 charges of fraud.

She was fired from the Safer Centre in August last year when an internal audit found discrepancies in ACC invoices she had filed, the Taranaki Daily News reported.

Jans' lawyer, Susan Hughes, QC, told Judge Allan Roberts she would be asking for a discharge without conviction at sentencing on April 29.

A cheque for $8154.64, the full amount of the reparation sought by ACC, was handed over to the court.

When the offending was uncovered, Jans admitted she had falsified invoices but said she had not personally benefited from the fraud.

She said she had put the invoices through to remedy what she believed to be the centre's precarious financial position.

- NZPA