Re: Glen Wheatley out of jail

On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:53:26 +0000, Bev Morris wrote:

> I don't think Glenn Wheatley ripped off thousands of Australians though.

That's right.  It was millions of Australians he ripped off -- to the tune
of $300,000.
 
> Didn't he just send money off shore to avoid paying tax.

Don't bank robbers just overdraw their accounts without prior approval?


> Wouldn't we all
> do that if we could?

Obviously not.  Otherwise we'd "all" be doing it.  Have YOU attempted to
avoid paying tax by funnelling money through offshore accounts?  It's not
difficult to open accounts in Vanuatu, etc.  Even Swiss bank accounts are
not beyond the reach of the average Australian.


> Anyway he pleaded guilty and paid the money back -

He only paid it back because he got caught.


> I'm not sure 15 months in jail was warranted.

Would you sup****t 15 months jail for someone who defrauded
Centrelink of $300,000?


> Absolutely, its still a
> crime but it really is less serious than all the other crimes mentioned.

Not really.  It's just a different class of crime.


> I never understood why he didn't appeal the sentence though - perhaps
> there was something we didn't know.

It's because the sentence imposed on Wheatley wasn't manifestly excessive.
 Indeed, there was the possibility the Court of Appeals would increase the
 sentence.