KEY POINTS:
The former director of the Nelson Symphony Orchestra, who ripped taxpayers off to the tune of $850,000 through fraudulent GST refunds, was jailed for four years yesterday.
David John Lindup, 30, had earlier admitted nine charges of using a GST tax return for pecuniary gain.
The charges, laid by the Inland Revenue Department, related to the purchase last year of musical instruments, including violins, violas and bows.
The Crown said Lindup had lodged GST claims for well over a million dollars, much of which IRD credited to a company set up under Lindup's name.
It was revealed he did not buy any instruments and was not entitled to the refunds.
He had also fabricated tax invoices, import certificates and bank documents to support his claims.
In the Nelson District Court, Judge Tony Zohrab jailed Lindup for four years for his "clinical and cynical" attempting to defraud taxpayers of $850,000.
Lindup, a father of three, moved to Nelson in 2001 and was appointed director of the symphony orchestra - one of only six fulltime conductors in New Zealand.
- NZPA
