MP Craig Thomson Gets 1-Year Sentence for Spending HSU Money on Prostitutes, Personal Expense; Posts Bail
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg sentenced MP Craig Thomson on Tuesday to 12 months prison term for using $24,000 of Health Services Union (HSU) funds to pay for prostitutes and personal expenses.
However, the embattled MP is supposed to spent time in jail only three months, while the remaining 9 months sentence will be suspended. Mr Thomson also immediately posted bail.
The MP was convicted on 65 dishonesty charges. In sentencing the MP for Dobell and former national secretary of HSU, the magistrate noted that Mr Thomson has exhibited "arrogance in the extreme" and "breach of trust of the highest order" when he misused the union funds for personal use.
Mr Rozencwajg likewise pointed out that the convicted MP showed no remorse, prompting the magistrate to order immediate imprisonment.
He added, "Nothing has been put before me to suggest these offences were committed for any reason other than greed."
Mr Thomson immediately filed an appeal slated for hearing on Nov 24.
HSU acting National President Chris Brown expressed satisfaction with the sentence, saying the union had waited seven years for Mr Thomson to account for his wrongdoing.
Previous report said that the former Labor MP will mortgage his home to repay back the $24,000 he misspent.
Among the conditions of his bail are that he would stay at the same New South Wales address and the Victoria police will keep his passport to prevent flight.
As a result of his conviction, Mr Thomson is suffering from a depressive disorder caused by the public humiliation and the loss of the MP's political career, his lawyers said.