A MAN who stole thousands of dollars from the Golden Vine hotel to go on two overseas trips has been described as an opportunist who displayed “psychopathic” tendencies.
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Christopher O’Sullivan, 23, was yesterday ordered to pay back $4300 in stolen cash and was given a $5000 fine. O’Sullivan pleaded guilty to the theft in the Bendigo Magistrates Court in October last year, but has failed to pay any of the money back.
Magistrate William Gibb said the fact the money was stolen while his employer was in hospital with two broken ankles indicated he had “no empathy at all” and had since shown no remorse for his actions. “You impacted profoundly on those people, you were in a position of trust and you simply didn’t care,” he said to O’Sullivan.
“You were opportunistic – you wanted to go overseas and you stole others’ money to do that – twice. It’s disgraceful and outrageous in the extreme”
Defence lawyer Megan Aumair said O’Sullivan’s lack of prior history and positive character references showed he was an upstanding citizen.
But Mr Gibb dismissed the statements and said his friends needed to reconsider their views.
“One has described him as ‘intelligent and honest’ – no he’s not.
“Another described him as a ‘kind and gentle person’ – he is not at all.
“He demonstrates all the tendencies of people I’ve referred to in the past as a social psychopath.”
O’Sullivan was told he had one month to repay the $4300 to victims and was ordered to pay an additional $5000 fine.
Mr Gibbs warned that if the money wasn’t paid, then enforcement measures would be taken, with potential imprisonment.