A former Launceston accountant charged with fraud and stealing more than $267,000 has been ordered to plead on all his matters in February, the Launceston Magistrates Court heard.
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James Redmond Burrows, 35, now of Hawthorn East, Victoria, appeared via video link for the fifth time on a total of 338 charges.
He is facing 137 counts of fraud, 19 counts of stealing, 28 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception, 122 counts of using a computer with intent to fraud and 32 counts of inserting false information as data. Mr Burrows was charged after an investigation by the Australian Taxation Office and Tasmania Police.
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Magistrate Sharon Cure asked him if he was going to plead.
In November Mr Burrows was directed to plead on January 11 on 16 counts of stealing by misappropriation and 18 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception.
However, Mr Burrows said his Victorian-based lawyers were on leave until January 27 and he was waiting for them to return. "Who are they again?" Ms Cure asked. "Russo Legal," Mr Borrows said.
Ms Cure told him he must enter pleas on all the matters on February 22.
"I have no option but to adjourn until after January 27," Ms Cure said.
Police prosecutor Mike Bonde said there would be a number of amendments to the charges.
In November, Mr Burrows told Ms Cure he planned to put a plea deal together.
On that occasion, Ms Cure told him the case would ultimately be heard in the Supreme Court.
The court has heard previously that evidence comprises 24 binders of files.
"Disclosure was provided on a hard drive because of the volume," she said.
Police allege Mr Burrows, through his role as a tax agent, misappropriated individual tax returns and falsified business activity statements for his financial benefit from September 2017 to March 2020.
Mr Burrows first appeared in May last year, then June, August and October.
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Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
