Former insurance clerk admits fraud charges

Press, 10 February 1988, Page 12

Former insurance clerk admits fraud charges

Forty-one charges of fraud by which he and two associates obtained $28,724 were admitted by a former insurance claims clerk in the District Court yesterday. William Charles Albright, aged 41, unemployed (Mr P. B. McMenamin), was convicted by Judge Von Dadelzen. He was remanded on bail to February 23 for sentence and a reparation report. Albright’s share of compensation sought was $l9 514. Albright, a first offender, told police he committed the offences to obtain money to spend on his children, and for overseas travel, said Sergeant Max Paton. The case was to have been the subject of a depositions hearing yesterday. A complaint was made to the police by New Zealand Insurance in July last year at which time Albright was overseas, said Sergeant Paton. On his return to New Zealand the defendant voluntarily went to the police and admitted the frauds, committed between June, 1986, and

June, last year. Money obtained by the defendant, and his two associates, from their false claims, were then banked into six separate bank accounts, operated by the three and soon after withdrawn, said Sergeant Paton. Albright told police that he kept three-quarters of the money obtained, and that the two associates each had an eighth. One of the associates, convicted on 31 charges, had been sentenced to periodic detention for six months ? and ordered to pay $1066 in compensation. The other offender had not been apprehended, said Sergeant Paton. DEPOSITIONS On a charge of attempting to set fire to the Tuam Street premises of the Regal Lounge massage parlour Jimmy Tuhikarama was remanded to March 29 for the taking of depositions. The accused, aged 47, unemployed (Mr David Stringer), is charged with committing the offence on November 28, last year. Charges of being found without lawful excuse in the building, and one of attempted arson, laid

under the name Jimmy Rongo, were withdrawn by the police. Mr Stringer said the present charge was laid by the police as a result of a preliminary hearing in which Justices of the Peace held there was insufficient evidence to commit Tuhikarama for trial, and he was discharged. The defendant denied the alleged offence, he said. After a hearing in Chambers, Tuhikarama was granted bail on condition that he not approach witnesses, report three times a week to police, and observe an 11.30 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew. DRUG FOR SUPPLY A sickness beneficiary told police he had been supplying cannabis in order to obtain money with which to pay bills. There were so many, said Anthony Scott, that it was not funny. Scott, aged 27 (Mr E. Bedo), was convicted and sentenced to periodic detention for three months. When police visited his address on January 27 he had 18 deal bags for sale for $3O each, and had earlier sold three deals, said Sergeant Paton.

RECEIVED JEANS Thirty pairs of denim jeans, worth $l5OO, were bought for $l2O in a hotel by David Alexander Thompson, said Sergeant Paton. Thompson, aged 40, a driver (Mr P. B. H. Hall), was convicted of receiving the jeans. He was fined $4OO. From the sale of the jeans, Thompson hoped to make $3OO to $4OO profit, said Sergeant Paton. Mr Hall, urging the imposition of a fine, said his client was a first offender. Thompson had been drinking in a hotel in which he was aware that stolen goods passed through, said Mr Hall. He had succumbed to temptation. The defendant’s expected profit of $4OO would instead become a debit, said the Judge in imposing the fine. . SUPPLY CHARGE Edward Pemberton was remanded to March 21 for the taking of depositions on a charge of possessing cannabis for supply. Counsel (Mr J. W. Appleby) said his client would deny the charge. Pemberton, aged 31, a painter, is charged with committing the offence on December 22, last year.