The New South Wales District Court has ordered a jury to enter verdicts of not guilty in relation to all charges against the chief executive officer and the former chief operating officer of a subsidiary of Hastie Group Limited, an ASX-listed company.

Mr Joseph Carmec Farrugia, a former director and chief executive officer of Hastie Services Pty Limited (Hastie Services) and Mr Ian Athol Thompson, the former chief operating officer of Hastie Services, had each been charged with two charges of conspiracy to falsify the books and records of Hastie Services and one charge of conspiracy to give false or misleading information to an auditor.

On 24 June 2019, the Court directed the jury to enter verdicts of not guilty for Mr Farrugia and Mr Thompson in relation to two of the charges, namely one charge of conspiracy to falsify the books and records of Hastie Services and one charge of conspiracy to give false or misleading information to an auditor.

Today, the Court directed the jury to enter verdicts of not guilty in relation to the remaining charge against Mr Farrugia and Mr Thompson of conspiracy to falsify the books and records of Hastie Services.

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) prosecuted this matter.

Background

Hastie Group and a number of its subsidiaries, including Hastie Services, were placed in external administration on 28 May 2012.

On 24 August 2017, Ms Samantha Cousins, a former finance manager of Hastie Services, pleaded guilty to three conspiracy charges and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and released on immediate recognizance on condition of good behaviour.

Following Ms Cousins sentence, on 20 October 2017 Mr Glyn Raines, a former Chief Financial Officer of Hastie Services, pleaded guilty to three conspiracy charges and sentenced to two years imprisonment and ordered to serve his term by way of an intensive corrections order (refer: 17-356MR).