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Perth accountant dodges jail for theft

AAPStirling Times

AN ACCOUNTING company director in Perth who stole more than $43,000 has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Neil Anthony Alessandrino, 48, pleaded guilty to gaining benefit by fraud between July 2010 and June 2012 while he was a director at companies ASPL and Alessandrino Scivolo.

The father-of-four, who has repaid the stolen money, was sentenced in the West Australian District Court on Tuesday to two years in prison, wholly suspended for 18 months.

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Judge Belinda Lonsdale said Alessandrino had committed a significant breach of trust and was motivated by a level of greed, but accepted he was at low risk of reoffending.

“Essentially, you purported to have paid invoices on behalf of ASPL and submitted the false invoices for reimbursement when, in fact, no such expense had been incurred,” she said.

“Your offending, although ultimately it involves one count only, involved repeated instances of offending.

“This is not a victimless crime.”

The court room was packed with Alessandrino’s family and supporters, many of whom smiled when the sentence was handed down.