This week, Timothy David Deacon has pleaded guilty to stealing $25 000 from the Commonwealth to fund his addiction to poker machines. He was charged with 17 counts of misusing and attempting to misuse the Commonwealth credit card that he was granted to use for his job, and he will be sentenced at the end of the year.
Deacon was given the credit card in 2011, which was to be used only for travel expenses that were related to his job with the Defence Department. The credit card was meant to be used for all expenses related to travel, including accommodation, food and transportation. Instead, the defendant used the card to play pokies.
Over the course of four weeks from August 2013 to September 2013, he used the card on 16 separate occasions to play pokies. He withdrew a total of $25 000 in cash to spend on gambling. On September 12, 2013, the card was cancelled, and Deacon was prevented from withdrawing any more money for his gambling addiction. That same day, Deacon called his supervisor to admit to the fraud.
He also wrote a letter to the chief of the Defence Department. It said: "I recently accessed funds from my [card] to feed a gambling addiction which I thought I had beaten. I write to apologise to you for this dreadful lapse in judgment that I have inflicted on my colleagues and Defence." The defendant admitted to falling victim to a gambling addiction in 2009.
He had undergone treatment and had thought that he had overcome his compulsive behaviour before taking on his job with the Defence Department. Unfortunately, he was not able to completely kick the addiction. Deacon’s sentencing will take place in December. In the meantime, the Defence Department is seeking reparations for the money that the former employee stole.
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