Woman not to repay fraudulent cheques

Press, 20 February 1987, Page 4

Woman not to repay fraudulent cheques

PA Hamilton A Hamilton solo mother who obtained almost $6OOO from the Post Office by false pretence will not be asked to repay the money/ said Hamilton’s diief Postmaster, Mr Brian King.

The District Court at Hamilton was told on Tuesday that the woman had opened three Post Office bank cheque accounts with deposits of between 50c and $2. June Hannah Ormsby, aged 21, was issued with cheque books and during nine months withdrew almost $6OOO

without depositing money into the accounts.

Ormsby pleaded guilty to 43 charges of false pretence and was sentenced on 40 of the charges to six months periodic detention and supervision for 12 months. On the remaining three charges she was remanded on bail of $5OO and a surety of $5OO until today for sentence. Judge Latham said the bank itself was partly to blame and had contributed to the offences by neglecting to check the accounts.

Mr King said yesterday

he did not know how the offences could have continued for so long.

“It was a failure on our part," he said.

Asked whether the businesses which had accepted the false cheques would be reimbursed by the Post Office, Mr King said it was not of public concern.

“That is. a commercial arrangement between us and the businesses concerned.” He felt that it was an isolated incident and he was confident that Post Office checking procedures were adequate.