Fraudster jailed for stealing $340,000 from Catholic Church to fund 'indulgent' lifestyle
fraud crime sentencing money peter mark dunham kerry keen catholic church million anne margie victim
Meagan Dillon www.abc.net.au meagan-dillon
An Adelaide mother is jailed for stealing from the Catholic Church to pay for expensive overseas holidays and indulgent consumer goods, while a former accountant is also sentenced for stealing from his clients.
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Adelaide mother Kerry Ann Keen used more than $340,000 that she stole from the Catholic Church to pay for expensive overseas holidays and indulgent consumer goods.

Now, the 57-year-old will spend at least three years in jail for her crimes.

"In short, this was protracted, calculated dishonestly over a prolonged period [and involved] a large sum of money to fund an indulgent lifestyle," SA District Court Judge Stephen McEwen said during sentencing.

Keen was today jailed for five years, with a non-parole period of three years, after being found guilty of two counts of theft.

The mother-of-two worked for a small Adelaide security company which was employed by the Catholic Church to transport, count and bank weekly takings from parishioners.

Judge McEwen said evidence from a forensic accountant found that Keen stole a minimum of $340,000 between July 2010 and May 2014.

"She has not demonstrated any remorse or contrition.

"She continues to deny the thefts in the face of what is plainly overwhelming and incontrovertible evidence."

Judge McEwen said the security company was a small operation and had considered Keen a friend, as well as an employee.

"Her actions have resulted in significant damage to that business," he said.

Stealing 'from Peter to pay Paul, then repay Peter'

Keen was the second thief to be jailed in the District Court today, after former accountant Peter Mark Dunham was sentenced to eight years and two months' jail, with a non-parole period of four-and-a-half years.

The 75-year-old stole $1.3 million from seven clients between 2008 and 2015.

Judge Paul Muscat said Dunham had been a chartered accountant his whole life, running his own firm in North Adelaide, until his fall from grace in 2016.

However, he said Dunham started to use stolen funds to pay the mortgage for some investment properties in North Adelaide and had planned to repay the money.

He described Dunham's plan to "steal from Peter to pay Paul, then repay Peter".

"The risks involved in the illusion you had created were enormous and likely to be exposed," he said.

The court was told a further $1.27 million was stolen but did not form part of the charged acts.

Dunham has repaid $810,000 to some of his victims.

Outside court, victim Anne Margrie said Dunham was her accountant for two decades and her family had to sell their home because of his deception.

"It's just been really sad, and so many people hurt along the way," she said.

"We're fortunate that we have three daughters who have been so supportive of us, money-wise, which has been the big thing because he left us with nothing … it's been a good conclusion today."