A volunteer who stole more than $38,000 abused the trust of vulnerable clients who thought of her like a sister, a judge said.
The budget advisory service worker, who has name suppression on medical grounds until sentencing, pleaded guilty to 20 charges in Masterton District Court on Tuesday.
One of her victims, Ron Warby, 84, said it was “despicable” that she betrayed the trust of the service’s clients, many of whom are disabled.
“It’s abuse – it’s terrible. I’ve done a lot of volunteering work, money-raising things, I’ve sold raffle tickets for arthritis. And I never, ever thought of putting that money in my pocket.”………
The judge convicted the woman on all the charges and remanded her on continued bail until October for sentencing, when her interim name suppression would lapse.
He said her lawyer, Jock Blathwayt, would need to provide compelling medical evidence for the suppression to continue beyond that.
For full story by Caleb Harris published 11/09/15, go to: