$400,000 theft earns gambler 2 1/2 years' jail

Government promoted gambling addiction enslaves previously law-abiding citizens and destroys families, family businesses and wrecks lives.

How much evidence do we need?

$400,000 theft earns gambler 2 1/2 years' jail

A woman in the grip of a gambling addiction has been jailed after feeding more than $400,000 from her brother's business into pokie machines.

Family and friends of Ann Denise Lawton, 50, wept in Porirua District Court as she was sentenced to 2 1/2 years' prison yesterday.

She had pleaded guilty to fraud charges, after systematically taking $452,909 from her brother's Paraparaumu company between 2003 and 2010.

Lawton's lawyer Elliot Lynch said she spent all the money on pokies. "She was not supporting a lavish lifestyle. She was not driving around in flash cars. She has a serious gambling problem, and her offending was fuelled by that."

As an office manager at Kapiti Diesel, she changed bank details on payments to creditors, so the money was funnelled into her own account.

Throughout seven years she committed 446 separate frauds. The amounts involved ranged from $154 to $3800.

Lawton had gambling counselling when her offending was discovered last year.

She had already attended 33 sessions, and was assessed as at high risk of reoffending.

Mr Lynch asked for a community-based sentence, so Lawton could continue her treatment for gambling addiction.

She needed the continued support of her family and friends, he said.

Judge John Walker said Lawton deserved credit for an early guilty plea, and seeking treatment for her gambling addiction.

She had apologised to her brother, Steve Lawton, in person.

However the fraud had a severe impact on his business, and the Lawton family.

"Clearly a huge emotional burden has now been inflicted on the whole family."

Another aggravating feature was the repeated offending over seven years.

The sentence had to be a deterrent to others, Judge Walker said.

"I have got to hold you accountable for the harm you have done."

Lawton stood quietly in the dock as she was sentenced and ordered to continue treatment for gambling addiction.

Her friends and family declined to comment yesterday.

In December, the Employment Relations Authority ordered Lawton to pay her brother reparations of more than $400,000.