By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A MAN who ‘borrowed’ his Hallam employer’s truck and fuelcards for a two-day circuitous journey to South Australia has been jailed until late July.
Mathew John Tormey, 44, had been a sub-contracted driver for barely three weeks when he was allegedly granted permission to borrow the business’s Toyota Hilux on 31 August.
A court was told on Monday that Tormey requested the utility to help his relative move house in Narre Warren South.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Cameron Smithett told the court that Tormey instead took a 2008 Isuzu truck for a two-day trip via Lakes Entrance, Ouyen, Charleston and Bairnsdale to Berry in South Australia, racking up a $713.52 bill on his employer’s fuelcards.
The truck was recovered undamaged, parked behind a service station in Pakenham Upper.
The father-of-five told police he believed he had permission to take the truck and his plan was to get the truck back to his employer’s yard by the next day “before anyone knew”.
The accused appeared at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court via video link from Fulham Correctional Centre.
He was already serving three months’ jail for criminal damage, breach of a family violence intervention order and breach of a suspended sentence.
Tormey’s lawyer said the accused was helping his ex-partner to move from Lakes Entrance to South Australia.
“In my client’s favour… his response was not to commit violence but to relocate that woman.”
While in South Australia, he broke the news of his and the truck’s whereabouts to his boss – who granted him permission to use the fuelcard on his way back from interstate, the lawyer said.
His offers to repay the employer were rebuffed, the lawyer said.
The accused found prison difficult due to his post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety, and had “lined up” a job on a fishing trawler upon his scheduled release on 4 July.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen sentenced Tormey to a concurrently-served three months’ jail term and suspended his driving licences for six months.
Tormey was told had he not pleaded guilty, he would have served five months without concurrency.
“The more you come back to court, you’ll keep receiving terms of imprisonment,” Mr Vandersteen said.
“This is the last gasp as far as three-to-four-month terms go.”
Tormey was also ordered to pay restitution for the fuelcards’ bills.
