A mother has been banned from netball games in Victoria after stealing $200,000 from a community netball association over five years, splurging part of it on a family holiday to Bali.
Christine Melnikas, 54, was also sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, followed by an 18-month community corrections order, and ordered to repay money she stole from the Banyule and District Netball Association she helped found.
Melnikas was sentenced in the County Court of Victoria on Friday after pleading guilty to stealing the $209,134.17 from BDNA between 2007 and 2012.
Judge Rachelle Lewitan said it was "brazen" offending by Melnikas, who had been deeply involved with netball all her life, and was very proud of helping with a campaign to build a new stadium in McLeod.
This appeared to have left her with a sense of entitlement, Judge Lewitan said.
Resentment also appeared to underpin the offences, the judge said.
The court heard Melnikas, the only person with access to the BDNA accounting system, had said her duties "far exceeded the hours" she was rostered to work.
Melnikas was employed for 25 hours a week at BDNA but said her duties far exceeded the hours she worked.
Melnikas also felt harassed and bullied by other BDNA board members and became convinced they wanted her out of the organisation, Judge Lewitan said.
The judge said Melnikas deliberately attempted to hide the discrepancies by falsifying invoices and payments.
"Your offending was brazen. You had complete control of the books, which were not audited," she said. "It's very serious and disturbing behaviour".
Melnikas showed no emotion as she was being sentenced, but blew kisses to family members as she was led from the dock.
Without an early guilty plea, Melnikas would have been sentenced to 27 months jail and a 27 month Community Corrections Order, Judge Lewitan said.
Melnikas is banned from Victorian netball games, including her daughter's games.
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