A former top Adelaide bureaucrat who lied on her CV to secure her lucrative South Australian Government position has been jailed for at least 12 months.
Veronica Theriault, was chief information officer within the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) when she was charged with deception, dishonestly dealing with documents and abuse of public office in September 2017.
Last Tuesday, District Court Judge Michael Boylan sentenced Theriault to 25 months in jail with a non-parole period of 12 months.
Theriault pleaded guilty to all charges relating to her fraudulently securing the Department of Premier and Cabinet job, which attracted a $270,000 salary. Judge Boylan said the offending was somewhat sophisticated and required some planning.
The court heard she was employed in the position for about a month and earned about $33,000 in that time before her mental health declined and her crimes were uncovered. Judge Boylan said he took into account Theriault’s mental health struggles, including her bipolar disorder.
False references part of fraud
During sentencing, Justice Boylan said Theriault applied for the DPC role and included in her application a CV that showcased a fabricated education and work history.
“That CV led to you being interviewed for the job — you supplied that document to the Department of Premier and Cabinet and [it] is the basis for dishonestly dealing with documents,” he said.
He said Theriault also gave the Department of Premier and Cabinet false references as part of the job application.
Need Help
If you require further assistance with respect to the above, you are welcome to contact our team of experienced taxation and commercial lawyers by clicking here to submit an online enquiry form or call us on 1300 QUINNS (1300 784 667) or on +61 2 9223 9166 to arrange conference or appointment.
