Melbourne High School business manager gambled away stolen $440k

A former employee at one of Melbourne’s most prestigious schools has admitted she ripped off the school to feed her gambling habit.

Frances Walshe, 65, pleading guilty in the County Court of Victoria on Thursday to pilfering more than $400,000 from Melbourne High School over a decade.

Wearing a black cardigan, Walshe sat in the dock at the rear of the courtroom and only spoke to say “guilty” to 10 charges of theft and one of obtaining financial advantage by deception.

Family members, including her two sons and daughter, were present in court to support her.

Walshe had been employed at the school for 27 years, working her way to become the business manager, but the offending began in 2012 after her second husband left her following a trip overseas.

Her barrister, Hayden Rattray, told the court the abrupt ending left her feeling “sad and lonely” with very little connection in the community and suffering mental health issues.

“She gravitated towards the poker machine venue which was across the road from where she resided,” he said.

“Looking back now she appreciates that habit got out of hand very quickly.”

Between January 2012 and September 2021, Walshe transferred funds from the school’s bank account 254 times, a total of more than $357,000.

Between 2016 and 2021 she also obtained more than $77,000 by altering details on invoices so her account would receive payments instead of the school.

Her offending came to light after Tony Mordini was appointed Melbourne High School principal in 2021 and began investigating the school’s financial policies.

Prosecutor Lauren Gurry told the court that Walshe was dismissive of Dr Mordini’s questions about the school’s policies, telling him “it was designed to make his job easier”.

Dr Mordini discovered abnormalities in the banking records and confronted Walshe in November 2021 and she admitted the thefts.

“I’m sorry for the grief I caused for both you and the school,” Walshe said, the court was told.

Mr Rattray told the court that Walshe felt shame and guilt over the offending and was surprised it had “gotten so far out of hand”.

“Plainly, my client was trusted at the school, she gained a great deal of self-worth from the school and was proud of being employed there,” he said.

“Apart from the local pokies, it was the only community she was a part of. She was living outside her means because she had a compulsion to gambling she couldn’t control.”

He said Walshe told him she stole the money to pay for day-to-day living expenses and was gambling away her salary.

Both Mr Rattray and Ms Gurry submitted a term of imprisonment was the only appropriate sentence.

Mr Gurry submitted the offending was “unsophisticated” but argued it represented a breach of trust.

“She was in a very high position of trust and one that allowed her full access to the school’s bank accounts,” she said.

The court was told none of the stolen money had been returned, and Walshe was in a poor financial position to do so, with less than $10,000 in her superannuation.

The matter was adjourned to March for sentencing by judge Peter Lauritsen.

Walshe was released on bail until her next appearance.

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