A Queensland grain company director has been jailed and the company heavily fined for a scheme that saw large shipments of chickpeas sent to India without the proper pest treatment.
Woods Grain Pty Ltd was fined $680,000 and director Thomas Dudley Woods jailed for six months in the Brisbane District Court on Friday.
The court heard 68 shipments of the grain were exported to India having been treated with phosphine, not the mandatory methyl bromide, after the company submitted fake fumigation certificates between 2007 and 2009.
Commonwealth prosecutor Peter Callaghan SC said a fumigating operator gave signed, blank certificates to the company, allowing it to dupe federal officials into believing the chickpeas had been property treated.
The shipments were worth around $10 million in total and Mr Woods was involved in 16 of the 68 consignments.
The scheme was started by another director of the family company, but when Mr Woods became aware he helped cover it up, the court heard.
Judge Brendan Butler said the operation may have given the company a time advantage or a small financial advantage.
He said Woods Grain had exposed Australia to criticism and Mr Woods, a well regarded local businessman, had failed his duty as a company director.
"It's truly sad to see a man such as yourself ... in a position you find yourself in today," Judge Butler said.
"I can only assume you did it out of some misguided loyalty to the company and your family."
Mr Woods was given an 18-month sentence with release after six months under a two-year good behaviour bond.
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