media release (16-226MR)

Former Wickham Securities CEO pleads guilty

Published

The former CEO of collapsed debenture issuer, Wickham Securities Ltd, has today pleaded guilty to various charges brought by ASIC, including fraud.

Garth Peter Robertson, 50, of Parrearra on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, appeared in the Brisbane District Court and pleaded guilty to:

  • 10 counts of dishonestly obtaining property totalling $761,504 from Wickham Securities between December 2010 and November 2012;
  • one count of dishonestly obtaining $15,000 from Balmain NB Corporation Ltd in November 2010;
  • nine counts of giving or permitting the giving of false information about Wickham Securities to its trustee, Sandhurst Trustees Ltd in 2012; and
  • one count of falsifying books relating to the affairs of Wickham Securities in 2012.

Mr Robertson will be sentenced on 1 September 2016, with his conditional bail extended until that date.

The matter had been listed for trial commencing 22 August 2016 but this has now been vacated.

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions is prosecuting the matter.

Background

Brisbane-based Wickham Securities was placed into administration in December 2012 and liquidation in February 2013, with Messrs Grant Sparks and David Leigh of PPB Advisory as liquidators.

Wickham Securities collapsed owing more than $27 million to approximately 300 debenture holders.

Further details of action taken by ASIC and outcomes can be found on ASIC's dedicated Wickham Securities webpage.

Media enquiries: Contact ASIC Media Unit