A serving NSW police officer who stole thousands of dollars from colleagues at Lake Illawarra Police Station used the money to fund a pokie addiction that helped calm his high stress levels, a court has heard.
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Leading Senior Constable Jason Hall has admitted fleecing $15,000 from a social club he set up in 2013 to boost morale at the station.
The court heard he transferred club money into his own account via an internet banking app on more than 120 occasions between September 2014 and July 2016.
When the fraud was discovered, Hall told fellow officers he had mistaken the club funds for his own credit card funds, despite the fact he didn’t own a credit card at the time most of the transactions took place.
It was also discovered he was in significant debt and gambled regularly.
Hall was charged with dishonestly obtaining an advantage by deception. He sought to have his case dealt with under mental health legislation in Wollongong Local Court on Monday.
A report from forensic psychologist Kathryn Wakley, tendered in court, concluded that Hall had been suffering from work-related post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of the offences.
She said Hall reported experiencing flashbacks of traumatic events, had difficulty sleeping, felt isolated and was “on edge”. She said he used the gambling to “relax” and “escape emotional distress”.
However, on cross examination from prosecutor Amber Philpot, Ms Wakley admitted she could have gotten the PTSD diagnosis wrong.
Ms Philpot submitted if the court found that Hall did have a mental health condition, it couldn’t be satisfied there was a causal link between it and his crimes.
“He took advantage of his close relationship with other social club members who were his colleagues,” she said, in urging Magistrate Susan McGowan to record a criminal conviction against Hall.
“He knew it was wrong.”
Magistrate McGowan will give judgement on September 28.
The court heard Hall has repaid all the outstanding money.