Fraud, AVO breach and domestic violence – all in day’s work for ex-MP
Former federal Labor MP Craig Thomson has been slapped with fraud offences after being charged for breaching an apprehended violence order, just hours after he was sentenced on other domestic violence charges.
Former ALP federal MP Craig Thompson pictured in 2014 (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
The 57-year-old was taken into custody on the Central Coast on Tuesday, accused of breaching an AVO.
Service NSW’s Fraud Response Unit and detectives from Strike Force Sainsbery say they charged a Narara man “following the arrest of a 57-year-old on an unrelated matter yesterday”.
NSW Police will allege in court he made fraudulent applications for the Small Business COVID-19 Support grant and the COVID-19 Small Business Hardship grant – totalling $25,000 – using false information and documents.
He also allegedly submitted a fraudulent application for JobSaver payments of $3000 a fortnight, which was not approved or paid.
He has been charged with two counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, publishing false and misleading material to obtain advantage and making false documents to obtain financial advantage.
Thomson was remanded in custody and will appear in Gosford Local Court on Wednesday.
Thomson was earlier on Tuesday sentenced to an 18-month conditional release order after pleading guilty to using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend in the Gosford Local Court.
He must not commit any offence while subject to the order. His guilty pleas were also accepted to three AVO breaches.
Thomson was elected to federal parliament in 2007 as the member for Central Coast seat of Dobell.
He was booted from the Labor Party in 2012 and failed in his bid to be re-elected as an independent in 2013.
Before his career in parliament, he was the national secretary of the Health Services Union.
