Woman racks up thousands on husband’s company fuel card due to financial strife

Nelson woman Desiree Mikaere used her husband's company fuel card to buy more than $5000 of petrol around the South Island. Photo / Sara Hollyman

A woman who found herself in a “financial pickle” racked up more than $5600 on her husband’s fuel card at fuel stations throughout the South Island.

Except the card was the property of his employer, who the couple is now paying back, with the help of a job Desiree Khan Mikaere has secured.

The 33-year-old was sentenced in the Nelson District Court yesterday to 100 hours of community work after pleading guilty to 49 dishonesty charges. She was also ordered to pay back $5662 to her partner’s employer.

The court heard how, between February 1 and September 7 last year, Mikaere used the fuel card 49 times at fuel stations all over the South Island.

The amount charged to the card ranged between $47.20 and $172.54.

Defence lawyer John Sandston says Mikaere found herself in a financial pickle last year, which she had since sorted by getting a job.

He says she pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and her husband began paying back his employer, who runs a concreting company in Richmond.

At the time of sentencing yesterday, he had already paid back about $900.

Judge David Ruth credited Mikaere for her cooperation with the court process, and that she, along with her husband, had been making a “real effort” with reparation.

“The pre-sentence report tells me this occurred when there were debts piling up and you felt this was the only way you could get on top of things,” he said.

“This was not the right way to do it.”

He sentenced Mikaere to 100 hours of community work and ordered her to pay back the balance of what was left owing through weekly instalments.