A HORSHAM woman will spend at least nine months behind bars for stealing $232,107 from her employer.
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Catherine Campesato, 57, appeared at Horsham County Court on Friday for sentencing.
She will serve a minimum of nine months in jail before she is eligible for parole. Her maximum term is 18 months.
At court on Wednesday she pleaded guilty to four charges of theft, which occurred over a time span of more than three years.
The court heard Campesato was employed with Horsham business Curtains by Robyn Creek, owned by her friend Robyn Creek, when the thefts took place.
Bank records between 2014 and 2017 showed that Campesato made 287 transactions for false invoices under the name of existing suppliers for the shop.
The court heard in 2014 she took $18,552; in 2015 she took $59,077; in 2016 she took $86,989; and in 2017 she took $67,487. This was a total sum of $232,107.
It also heard Campesato had been working at the business since 2010. Campesato and Mrs Creek had been friends for more than 15 years when the offending started in 2014.
Campesato was employed as an administrator, and took care of the businesses' wages and accounts.
In December 2017 Mrs Creek was alerted by her accountant that something was not right with her account and she observed that large amounts of money had been spent on materials.
In December 2017 Campesato admitted the theft to Mrs Creek and her employment was terminated.
The matter was reported to police. Campesato was arrested on May 23, 2018 and was interviewed by police.
She told police that she had "taken advantage of the situation" and admitted to creating the invoices for her own personal gain.
"What I did was one of the worst things I could have possibly done. I take responsibility for the pain I have caused," she told police.
Judge Michael Cahill said the jail term was effective immediately.
"You abused the trust of your best friend to fund a lifestyle and conducted repeated transactions of dishonesty involving large sums of money," Mr Cahill told Campesato.
"The offending was a brazen betrayal of your best friend."
Police escorted Campesato from the court immediately after the sentence was handed down.
Campesato was assessed for a Community Corrections Order and deemed suitable.
Mr Cahill said he accepted prison would be "hard" for Campesato. However, he also said jail was necessary to satisfy sentencing, as a deterrent and as punishment.
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