“Jeff” Thomson, Orders Escorts Through Health Services Union Funds, Court Heard
The Melbourne Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday that former federal MP Craig Thomson used the alias Jeff Thomson when ordering for escort services using Health Services Union Funds for 66 occasions.
The court heard that Mr Thomson once visited the brothel called the Red Turbo Spa paying through his Union-issued credit card. He incurred $418 for the services he obtained from the brothel.
The funds misused by Mr Thomson on various rendezvous amounted to $28, 449. He had access to the funds while he was working as the national secretary of the HSU and federal member for Dorbell in NSW.
Prosecutor Lesley Taylor SC said that Mr Thomson foolishly signed credit card receipts for escort services and even carelessly provided his driver's licence. These details were retained on record. The brothel's company's trading name, Nolta Pty Ltd, was shown in the receipt. Mr Thomson gave all his credit card receipts to be appropriated as legitimate Union business expenses.
Back in October of 2003, Mr Thomson had also used his supposedly business phone to call two escorts agencies from his hotel room at the Radisson in Sydney. Club 121 agency revealed a record of a reservation made for Radisson's room 821. An escort named "Tracie" attended to Mr "Jeff" Thomson with an hour of sexual services. He incurred $240 for the service.
In April of 2005, Mr Thomson incurred $2475 for separate escort services recorded on a single night stay at the Swisse hotel in Sydney where he was supposedly attending a Union national executive meeting.
In May 2005, Mr Thomson then spent two nights at the Westin Sydney. During the second night he was joined by his wife named Christa. However, during his first night, he used the hotel phone to call Boardroom Escorts and order sexual services. A woman named Alina came and attended to his needs. The "transaction" amounted to $770 which was paid through a union Master card. As an excuse Mr Thomson submitted the card's statement saying the expense was for a dinner function.
Mr Thomson consistently pleaded not guilty to the charges of fund misused and had declined to give comment regarding the court hearing on Wednesday.