Lawyer sent to jail for fraud

Press, 12 April 1984, Page 13

Lawyer sent to jail for fraud

PA Auckland A barrister and solicitor was jailed yesterday for 18 months and a company director for six months after being found guilty in the High Court at Auckland of defrauding the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa.

Kevin Patrick Murphy, aged 33, of Auckland, whom the Court was told was “ruined financially" and would never practice law again, was visibly upset when Mr Justice Tompkins handed down his decision.

In passing sentence, he said that Murphy’s crimes were made worse because he had abused a position of trust to take advance of naive, innocent, inexperi-

enced church members. Mr Justice Tompkins said that the 18-month jail term took into consideration that the barrister did not benefit financially from his crimes.

Murphy was convicted last month of fraudulently applying $30,000 belonging to the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa and thereby committing theft; obtaining cheques for $30,000 with intent to defraud; and omitting to account for $25,216, part of the proceeds received towards the cost of building a church building in West Auckland.

He was cleared of two other fraud charges. In passing sentence on Louie Brien Sumich, aged

49, of Mairangi Bay, his Honour said that the company of which Sumich was the director had conspired to defraud the Church by increasing the cost of its building project. He said that the company, Landseair Industries, Ltd, had gained more than $100,090 through the fraudulent action. Sumich had used the innocence of the church congregation for financial gain, a crime demanding a period of imprisonment, the judge said.

Landseair Industries, Ltd, which had also been found guilty of conspiracy to defraud, was fined $lO,OOO, and ordered to pay $4OOO to the cost of the prosecution.