Community official sent to prison for a year

Press, 5 June 1982, Page 7

Community official sent to prison for a year

PA Hamilton A Te Kuiti accountant and justice of the peace has been jailed for a year for misusing company funds. Before the District Court at Hamilton yesterday for sentence was Colin Lendrum. aged 63, public accountant, a justice of the peace, holder of the Queen's Medal and with a record of service with Rotary. Returned Services’ Association. St John Ambulance. Crippled Children Society. Methodist Church. Te Kuiti Borough Council. Waikato Licensing Committee and Te Kuiti High School Board of Governors.

-A jury had earlier, found Lendrum guilty oh . 10 charges of .using-a document for pecuniary advantage and

two each of making false entries into a book and failing to account.

The- offences, involving $32,325. were committed while Lendrum was a director and secretary of a Te Kuiti finance company.

Counsel (Mr J. G. Dillon) said civil proceedings were in train involving, with interest. $90,000.

"I submit he has already suffered by the tearing down of the esteem by which he was held in the community." Mr Dillon said. 0 His .client had been under medication for hypertension for the last five years and suffered other illnesses, he said.

Lendrum had been "struck off by the Accountants Society, Mr Dillon said.

Judge A. D. Richardson said it was nothing short of a tragedy that a man of 63 with his qualifications, ac-. complishments and contributions to the country, should appear in court on 14 such serious charges ... “a justice of the peace, member of the judiciary, with your services recognised by the Queen." the Judge said.

“But as a leader you have betrayed and dishonoured the high ’ ethical standards of your profession." the Judge told/the defendant.

Members of professions holding large sums of money for the public were generally held in respect and the community were entitled to trust them, he said. Lendrum was aware that

clients' money must be accounted .. for accurately, precisely and to the very cent.

Full credit must be given, when sentencing Lendrum, for the great contribution he had made to the community, the Judge said.

"But,the disgrace of dishonesty in a professional man is far more-serious than in anyone else."

The jail terms, all to.be served concurrently, range from three months to one year.' .

."That is a total of one year which in all the circumstances is the least I can' impose. In view of the civil proceedings there will be no order for restitution,") Judge said.