Trustee who stole millions from brain injury, car crash victims has jail time cut
A former Adelaide financial adviser who stole nearly $2 million from brain injury and car crash victims, spending it on travel and breast enhancement surgery, has had her jail sentence reduced on appeal.
Tina Louse McPhee pleaded guilty to 181 counts of theft and receiving and was sentenced to 13 years in prison with a non-parole period of 10 years earlier this year.
The 41-year-old was a court appointed trustee for her six victims.
McPhee was managing the brain injury compensation payments for two of the victims while the other four were children who were compensated over the deaths of their mother and another family member in a car crash.
The Adelaide District Court heard more than $4 million had been lost, but McPhee had only been sentenced on $1.9 million relating to charges on which she pleaded guilty.
McPhee spent the stolen money on travel, an apartment and breast enhancement surgery.
The victims have not recovered any money and have launched civil court action.
Her lawyer told the Court of Criminal Appeal the sentence was excessive and the discount given to McPhee for her early guilty plea was too low.
The court today downgraded the original sentence to one of nine years and two months with a six-year non-parole period.
Taking into account time already served, McPhee can seek parole in July 2019.