The Oamaru District Court last fortnight sentenced a former North Shore bar owner to 21 months in jail over the loss of about $120,000 of pokie machine money.
The 47-year- old, who currently lives in Shingle Creek, Otago had pleaded guilty in the North Shore District Court in November 2009 to six charges of theft by a person in a special relationship by failing to account for $118,935.48 of gaming machine profit owed to the Pelorus Trust.
The Court had heard that Norton was the venue operator of Pat’s Garage (Takapuna) and Brownsy Sports Bar (Browns Bay) in North Shore.
Internal Affairs Gambling Compliance Director Mike Hill said the defendant should have banked the gaming machine money to the Pelorus Trust account.
“But he used it to prop up his businesses when they got into financial difficulty. The community missed out on at least $44,000 in grants because of this default,” he said.
Judge Mary O’Dwyer ordered Norton to pay that amount in reparation and said he could seek home detention if suitable accommodation can be found.
“Gaming machine money does not belong to a venue but must be banked into the account of a gaming trust which is then responsible for distributing funds to the community,” Mr Hill said.
The Gambling Act makes it clear that community must be the ultimate beneficiary of gaming machine proceeds of gaming machines, he said.
