Paul Joseph Hanson, a former director of Wida Plumbing Supplies Pty Ltd (Wida), was convicted of fraud on 8 November 2017 under the Crimes Act (Vic) in the Victorian County Court.

Mr Hanson, of Caroline Springs, Victoria, was sentenced to a Community Correction Order for a period of 3 years after previously pleading guilty. The order requires Mr Hanson to complete 300 hours of community service.

Mr Hanson used Wida to operate a plumbing business. Wida was placed in external administration in December 2012.

ASIC commenced an investigation after the Receiver of Wida, Mat Muldoon from Sellers Muldoon Benton, lodged a report with ASIC. ASIC found that in November 2013, Mr Hanson illegally accessed and transferred $124,763.84 from a Wida overdraft bank account to the personal bank account of a family member. Mr Hanson subsequently arranged for the family member to withdraw the money and hand it to him. Mr Hanson used the money for his own personal use.

By virtue of being convicted, Mr Hanson is also disqualified from managing corporations for 5 years from the day of his conviction.

The matter was prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

Background

On 23 November 2016, Mr Hanson was charged with three counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception under the Crimes Act (Vic) 1958.

As part of Mr Hanson's willingness to plead guilty, the charges were consolidated to one count of obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

On 7 July 2017, Mr Hanson pleaded guilty to one count of obtaining property by deception in the Melbourne Magistrates Court.