KEY POINTS:
A West Coast couple spent $9000 a building company accidentally transferred into their account, regarding the cash as "a gift from God", a court was told.
Evan Warwick Mark Smith, 45, and Lesley Sharon Smith, 46, of Blakedown, pleaded guilty in Greymouth District Court today to a joint charge of theft.
The court was told that they had in the past been painting contractors for Orange Homes, but were not owed any money by the company when Lesley Smith was phoned on May 30 and informed that $9000 had been placed in her account by mistake.
She was given Orange Homes' bank details and promised to transfer the money back but instead went to an A" machine and withdrew $800.
The following day she withdrew another $800 and one day later, when her husband returned from a fishing trip, they both went to the bank and withdrew the remaining $7400.
Mrs Smith then travelled to Auckland to visit relatives.
Defence lawyer Richard Bodle said the contracts for painting new homes were usually about $9000 and the Smiths had intended to work off the debt.
Judge Jane Farish said Mr Smith had the worse criminal record of the pair, but his wife was more culpable because she instigated the withdrawals and her husband just went along with her.
Mr Smith was sentenced to 160 hours' community work and Mrs Smith to 120 hours.
Both were also sentenced to nine months' supervision and each ordered to pay $4750 reparation to Orange Homes.
- NZPA
