A court has heard how a man who stole prepaid funeral funds was “doomed” for financial failure.
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Scott Allan Dickey, 40, was the owner of business Kentish Funerals when he stole about $126,000, primarily from prepaid funeral arrangements.
Defence lawyer Greg Richardson gave evidence of Dickey’s moral culpability at a hearing before Magistrate Duncan Fairley on Wednesday in the Devonport Magistrates Court.
Mr Richardson told the court Dickey had purchased Kentish Funerals for about $10,000 in 2011.
He said at the time of the sale Dickey signed a contract requiring him to cover the costs of a number of outstanding prepaid funerals, without knowing the total sum was about $100,000.
“From the very outset he was, I would say, doomed to financial failure,” Mr Richardson said.
”Every cent went into keeping the business going on his mistaken belief he could get out it.”
Mr Richardson said there was evidence to suggest Dickey suffered from confrontation and avoidance issues.
He said his offending had been the result of his inability to face problems.
“None of this was for personal benefit – this was him in his emotional state thinking he could cover the problems instead of confronting them,” Mr Richardson said.
”Depression and anxiety did contribute to the offending as his ability to run the business was impaired.”
In June, Dickey pleaded guilty to multiple charges of stealing, forgery and failing to deposit prepaid funeral payments within 14 days.
Dickey also pleaded guilty to unlawfully carrying on a prescribed business and one count of breach of bail conditions.
The prosecution accepted Mr Richardson’s argument that Dickey had been naive when it came to business management.
They argued there was no evidence to suggest Dickey had suffered from a major period of depression while offending was ongoing, and the business purchase conditions had not been beyond his control.
Dickey has been in custody since June and appeared before Magistrate Fairley via video link from Launceston Remand Centre.
He has been remanded in custody to appear via video link at the Devonport Magistrates Court on September 26.