Two
years and three months’ imprisonment for dishonesty was upheld on appeal to the
High Court following three frauds by Nikita Burns including thirteen false
claims for emergency Red Cross funding netting $18,000 after the Christchurch
earthquakes.
Described as callous offending striking
at the heart of a community in crisis, Burns made multiple applications for Red
Cross funding using false names and other people’s addresses. Her fraudulent applications hindered legitimate
applications for support with confused Christchurch residents being asked why
duplicate applications were coming from the same address. Burns twice created false work documents from
imaginary businesses to obtain some $28,000 from Social Welfare for relocation
assistance. She was also convicted in
relation to a rental car hire, having abandoned the vehicle failing to return
it.
The court was told Burns had not
previously been sentenced to jail for dishonesty but has numerous previous
convictions including twelve offences since January 2007 for dishonestly
accessing a computer system.
Burns
v. Police – High Court (7.09.16)
16.136