A Waikanae man has been sentenced to 12 months home detention for defrauding one of the Government’s COVID-19 relief schemes.
Brendan Blair McBride, who is 27, was jointly charged with another man on 21 charges of using a document to obtain a pecuniary advantage from the Small Business Cashflow Scheme (SBCS), and faced one further charge on his own of getting money from the SBCS.
McBride was sentenced on December 20 on a number of police charges along with those laid by Inland Revenue, which administers the Scheme.
Bank account statements showed $53,000 end up in McBride’s bank account.
The funds received by the defendant were either withdrawn as cash, transferred to associates, spent on online gambling websites or spent on miscellaneous purchases.
Judge Peter Butler sentenced McBride to 12 months home detention to reflect the seriousness of the charges.
He also imposed a number of special conditions including not to possess or consume non prescribed drugs or alcohol.
The man jointly charged with Brendan McBride has pleaded not guilty and elected trial by jury.