Church worker jailed for theft

Press, 12 August 1989, Page 8

Church worker jailed for theft

'( PA Auckland 4 A former Salvation Army worker who drank and gambled away more than $200,000 from the organisation was jailed for n two years yesterday. * Frank Richard Turner,•s aged 49, a motel manager,-- ’’ of Herne Bay, was told by ►. Judge Augusta Wallace in ‘ District Court at Auckland e that remorse appeared to

b be "very far” from his v mind. The defendant had dei? liberately tried to conceal i assets he had acquired i. with the money he stole. £ Turner’s "scheme of .. thieving” from the Salvation Army was all the more reprehensible be- ‘ cause of the four previous t convictions he had for £ theft as a servant.

L The Judge said she uni’ derstood it was the first time the Salvation Army had taken court action £ against a dishonest empioyee. “I can appreciate that decision would have been ■’ taken after very much i* heart-searching.” S The Court was told b earlier that Turner stole k $219,000 between April, £ 1985, and August last * year, while working as the office manager at Railton * Hotel in Queen Street, < Auckland.

p The money, taken from >■ daily bankings, had all \ been lost on alcohol and >' gambling. Judge Wallace said that, v while she considered the question of reparation a x priority, other more effec- * tive court proceedings « could be employed.