Man toyed with flight plans from home computer as revenge against employer Cairns court heard Scales of justice Source: NewsLocal A FORMER Far Northern pilot could have "compromised air safety'' when he toyed with flight plans from his home computer as revenge against his employer, a Cairns court has heard. David Lance Pennington, 47, walked out of Cairns District Court yesterday on a good behaviour bond after a grudge against his former Cairns employer AeroRescue escalated into the covert cancellation of nine flight plans during a two-month period in 2009, including one when a plane was in the air. The court also heard Pennington tried to blame the risky activity on his son, who has Asperger's syndrome, which was described by Judge Bill Eversonas "disingenuous and fanciful". Prosecutor Michael Daltontold the court Pennington, who had been a pilot for "many years", developed a grudge against Aero- Rescue after he failed an assessment and was stood down on sick leave. "The defendant agreed in his interview it would be reckless to delete flight plans," Mr Dalton said.
Former Cairns bank lending manager jailed after swindling $45,000 from Electricity Credit Union A FORMER Cairns bank lending manager changed a client’s postal address in a bid to avoid being caught swindling more than $45,000 from his employer, the Electricity Credit Union. Stratford father John Murray Havill, 51, didn’t need the money and couldn’t explain why he took it, a court heard. He was yesterday sentenced to two years’ and eight months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty in the Cairns Magistrates Court to one count of fraud and two counts of breaching bail. The court heard he had twice skipped court appearances because he couldn’t deal with the repercussions of his offending. Havill, who had no previous criminal history, was an executive lending manager at the Electricity Credit Union (ECU) Cairns branch when he set up a line of credit worth $75,000 for a client and began taking sums of money from it. His position at the bank meant he was privy to customer details and could access accounts. More money was made into bank cheques over a period of about three months.
Illingworth to push for bail in Cairns court today PUSH FOR BAIL: Jean Illingworth. Source: News Limited A FORMER Far North school principal accused of multi-million dollar fraud could be granted bail today. Jean Illingworth’s barrister yesterday told a Cairns court it was “impossible” to prepare for her six-week trial while she was in custody, because she was rarely able to meet with her legal team and had limited computer access. Once Senior Australian of the Year, Ms Illingworth allegedly falsified school documents to obtain about $8 million in state and federal government funding for Djarragun College near Gordonvale. It is alleged the money was spent on the school, a primarily indigenous institution. The 67-year-old appeared in the Cairns Supreme Court via video link for her fourth bail application yesterday but Justice Jim Henry adjourned his decision. Illingworth has been in custody at Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre since last year. “We simply aren’t achieving what we want to achieve.”
Cairns court grants bail to former Djarragun College principal Jean Illingworth BAIL SUCCESS: Jean Illingworth is released ion bail with strict conditions. Source: News Limited ONE-time Senior Australian of the Year, Jean Illingworth, has been granted Supreme Court bail on strict conditions, including that she must live in Brisbane. Ms Illingworth is accused of falsifying school attendance rolls to obtain about $8 million in state and federal government funding for Djarragun College at Gordonvale, where she was principal. The 67-year-old is not allowed contact with any Crown witnesses in the case and cannot use email, except to contact her lawyers. She was released on bail when initially charged but then remanded in custody several months later, after the court was told she had allegedly contacted witnesses. Ms Illingworth was in custody at Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre until yesterday when she appeared in the Cairns Supreme Court via video link for her fourth bail application. Prison officers were present during meetings, which occurred in a visitors’ area.