Ex-boyfriend's Account Raided
Newcastle Herald
Thursday February 1, 2007
A WOMAN plundered her former boyfriend's bank account for a year after they separated at the end of 2005, Newcastle Local Court was told yesterday.
The court heard that Kate Elizabeth Howitt, a teacher bound soon for Japan, defrauded Mr Joshua Perry of sums totalling $38,896 between January 19 last year and January 18 this year.She had repaid Mr Perry $28,225 and still owed him $10,671. Solicitor John Anthony, for Howitt, said all the money would be repaid.Howitt, 25, of Alice Street, Merewether, pleaded guilty to four counts of using deception to dishonestly obtain four sums of money.Detective David Anson said that Howitt was in a relationship with Mr Perry from February 2002 until December 2005. During that time, she had access to his bank account and made financial transactions for him with his permission.She had committed one of the offences by using the information she had gained to set up an internet bank account in Mr Perry's name.Between June last year and this month, Howitt completed 29 internet cash transfers for a total of $31,000 from Mr Perry's account into her own account. She also used Mr Perry's banking details to complete 13 Bill Pay internet payments for $1246 to Telstra, Payless Chemist and EnergyAustralia.Detective Anson said the three other offences involved Howitt using a retained keycard to make numerous ATM withdrawals totalling $6650 from Mr Perry's account.She had said that she did not know why she had committed the offences, the detective said.Magistrate Richard Wakely adjourned the charges until February 19 for sentence and asked for a presentence report.
© 2007 Newcastle Herald