Emma Louise Morton, the former director of Weston Creek Children's Centre in Canberra, has been sentenced to jail for defrauding the non-profit organisation of $305,785.36. The 51-year-old pleaded guilty to three charges of fraud, each covering multiple offences committed between March 2020 and February 2021.
During sentencing in the ACT Supreme Court, prosecutors described the theft as an 'egregious breach of trust.' The court heard that Morton misappropriated funds from the centre's operating and savings accounts, including $130,000 transferred into an account she controlled. Prosecutor Morgan Howe stated that while the savings account money was never spent, Morton 'assumed the rights to ownership.'
The centre's office manager, Kylie Goodwin, provided a victim impact statement, saying she felt 'deeply betrayed.' Goodwin, who acted as a whistleblower, reported her concerns to police after noticing unusual spending. She said the crime left her emotionally drained, anxious, and requiring counselling, and that the centre had to close for three days to implement new governance measures.
Justice Belinda Baker questioned Morton's claim that she took the savings account money as a precaution during COVID-19 restrictions. Morton's barrister, Sam Pararajasingham, described the motive as misguided but argued the crime was unsophisticated, with misleading entries in MYOB software that had 'high prospects of detection.'
Prosecutor Howe noted that Morton's comments during a pre-sentence interview showed a lack of remorse and insight, stating she was 'particularly guarded.' Morton had told the report author she may have 'failed to follow protocol' using incorrect processes, but Howe argued this reflected a failure to acknowledge the criminality of her actions.
Morton will be sentenced later this year. The court also heard that the centre lacked proper governance, with no properly constituted board, leaving it in breach of regulations.
