EXCLUSIVE: Payroll officer who stole $141,000 from a brain injury charity begs not to be jailed because she has suffered her own brain injury due to drug use
A woman who stole $141,000 from a service that helps people with brain injuries has sought leniency from her sentencing magistrate after suffering a brain injury.
Yeannie Karina Barilla was the payroll officer for ABI Services, a not-for-profit organisation which provides assistance to Australians with acquired brain injuries.
She squandered the money she took from the charity then suffered brain damage due to illicit drug use and now relies on the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The 36-year-old was responsible for paying ABI Services employee wages, tax payments and invoices from October 2017 to May 2018.
Barilla would prepare documents for outstanding invoices and have those payments signed off by a company director then transfer funds to ABI Services' suppliers.
Yeannie Barilla stole $141,000 from a service that helps people with brain injuries. She has now sought leniency from a magistrate because of a brain injury suffered due to drug use
Barilla was payroll officer for Acquired Brain Injury Services. She is now working as a waitress and receiving assistance from the National Disability Insurance Scheme
On nine occasions she altered those documents by replacing the suppliers' banking details with her own so that a total of $141,379.29 was paid into her Westpac and ING accounts.
'The accused's bank statements indicate that she spent those funds on gifts, purchasing personal items and to otherwise fund a lifestyle beyond her normal means,' a police statement of facts said.
After the Australian Taxation Office contacted ABI Services about non-payment of tax in May 2018 an internal audit revealed Barilla's fraud and she resigned.
Barilla, from Baulkam Hills in north-west Sydney, faced Burwood Local Court last Friday after pleading guilty to dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.
The court heard Barilla had previously defrauded Presbyterian Aged Care of $20,958 in 2017 by generating false wage slips and directing funds into her bank account, for which she was given a community service order.
This time she unsuccessfully sought to have her offending dealt with under the Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act rather than the criminal law.
Barilla spent the money she defrauded from ABI Services on gifts, personal items 'and to otherwise fund a lifestyle beyond her normal means,' a statement of facts said
The court heard Barilla had suffered a 'very significant' hypoxic brain injury due to illicit drug use.
That injury, which is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, occurred in 2019 after she ripped off ABI Services.
Barilla was now working as a waitress and receiving assistance from the NDIS.
Magistrate Lisa Stapleton heard Barilla suffered cognitive impairment, acted impulsively, had limited ability to reason and would be vulnerable in custody.
Ms Stapleton sentenced Barilla to 12 months' imprisonment and ordered she be assessed for home detention.