Former CSIRO executive Mark Wallis jailed for two years after defrauding government of $300,000
A former senior officer from the CSIRO has been sentenced to two years in jail for fraud, after he spent more than $300,000 of the agency's money on items including a washing machine, a jet ski and two cars.
Key points:
The court heard Mark Wallis has since paid back all of the money, although the cars were confiscated
Chief Justice Lucy McCallum recognised his depression, but said that did not excuse the crime
Wallis will spend 12 months behind bars, with a further 12 months on a good behaviour order
Mark Wallis, 47, was about to sign a redundancy package in 2017 when the fraud was uncovered.
At first, he denied the crime, saying others had used his work credit card.
But he then quickly admitted the offence and later pleaded guilty to three charges.
Chief Justice Lucy McCallum described the purchases as ranging between the "banal" and "luxurious".
She said Wallis was drawing a wage of more than $250,000 at the time of the offences, when he was head of purchasing and in charge of security.
Chief Justice McCallum acknowledged his good character before the theft, but said that had allowed him to take a position of trust, creating an opportunity for him to be the author of a significant fraud.
She told the court the most serious crime was having invoices for two cars created in a form that would ensure the organisation would pay for them.
The court heard Wallis had since paid back all of the money, although the cars had been confiscated, and the reparation was only made after a letter of demand.
Court hears offending 'involved considerable planning'
Evidence was given to the court about how Wallis had changed into a different person after a car accident in 2010.
Chief Justice McCallum also recognised his depression.
But she said that did not excuse the crime.
"The offending involved considerable planning and must have involved a level of executive function," she said.
"I am satisfied the offences were committed deliberately and with full [knowledge] they were dishonest."
The sentence had been set down for last month, but was delayed after an outbreak of COVID-19 in Canberra's jail.
Wallis said he was at greater risk from the virus because of medication which makes him immunocompromised.
But today the court received a report from the jail outlining how such the situation could be managed.
Wallis will spend 12 months behind bars, with a further 12 months on a good behaviour order.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-10/csiro-mark-wallis-sentenced-defrauding-government-300k/101044170