'Injustice' leads to stealing from boss

Former Masterton businesswoman Rachelle-Ann Rawlinson, 37, paid $33,450 in reparation and was discharged without conviction after earlier pleading guilty to fraud involving more than $20,000.

Driven by "a sense of injustice" Rachelle-Ann Rawlinson, 37, stole more than $20,000 from her employer.

Paying $33,450 in reparation, the former Masterton business woman walked free from court without a conviction or further penalty.

She previously pleaded guilty to three charges of fraud and two of failing to appear in court.

Defence lawyer Ian Hard told the court things went wrong for Rawlinson with she and her husband bankrupted when their business failed. The couple had lost a lot of money they had invested with the victim. When it went bad she felt "aggrieved", taking the "law into her own hands" and stealing money from her employer, Mr Hard said.

She stole $23,450 over 9 months and her employer spent $10,000 determining the money had been stolen.

"She regrets her actions ... she felt driven by a sense of injustice ... it was wrong and misguided," Mr Hard said.

Rawlinson's family provided the money to pay her debt. "It's been emotionally draining ... she has a good family. Once they knew they helped to sort everything out smartly," Mr Hard said.

He appealed for a discharge without conviction.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Jodie Lawrence said the offending had had a negative impact on the victims who had been forced out of business and lost their life savings.

She opposed a discharge for Rawlinson. "Current employers should know the risks ... she needs to be held accountable."

Judge Butler said Rawlinson was in a position of trust and her offending was premeditated. She had repaid the money and lost her job, he said.

He discharged her without conviction and ordered the money be paid to her victim.