A woman convicted of stealing 39 head of cattle was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond and ordered to pay compensation of $20,485.11 when she was sentenced in Mudgee Local Court.
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Robyn Flora Williams, 66, of Wollar Road, Cumbo, pleaded guilty to the charge of “Steal cattle value over $15,000”.
Williams and three other directors established Dungaree Pastoral Company to breed and produce beef cattle on properties in the Wollar and Cumbo areas. Williams was responsible for the day-to-day running of the properties.
The other directors believed money was missing from the company account and in May 2011 they noticed cattle were missing.
They found that on March 31, 2011, Williams had sold 20 cows, 18 calves and one bull, with the money being deposited into her personal account.
When she was questioned by police on the origins of the cattle sold she gave misleading information which was only unraveled by extensive DNA testing.
Williams’ solicitor, Richard Wise, told the court his client recognised the seriousness of her actions. He added that she was seeking compensation for her outlay and labour for the pastoral company and she had “taken it into her own hands”.
Magistrate Michael Allen said he considered a jail sentence but took into account that Williams had no criminal history and had a long work history both paid and for the community.
He said there was a significant level of deceit and commended the work of Detective Senior Constable Adam Macdougall of the Mudgee Rural Crime Unit.
“The length that she went to meant that it was only the investigating by Detective Senior Constable Adam Macdougall that brought her before court,” he said.
Detective Senior Constable Macdougall acknowledged the work of Detective Senior Constable Bob Newman of the Bathurst Rural Crime Unit and Emily Piper of the Genetics Division of University of Queensland.