Kristina Kothrakis
This is a real case study by one of our lawyers. The person who is in charge of this area in the firm is Kristina Kothrakis. Kristina is a Director and LIV Accredited Criminal Law Specialist at Doogue + George, recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Leading Criminal Defence Lawyer in Victoria (2026). With over 18 years of experience, she acts in sexual offences, family violence, white collar crime, fraud, and ASIC and IBAC investigations.
View full profile →This is a case study on theft charges resulting in a Community Correction Order without conviction.
What is alleged to have occured?
Our client was charged with unauthorised use of company cab charge vouchers, chauffeur charges, and personal catering costs. Her employer detected the fraudulent activity after she had performed around 38 unauthorised transactions over a period of approximately 12 months with a total value of under $4,000.
She faced charges of Obtaining financial advantage by deception and Theft.
What happened at court?
Kristina Kothrakis represented our client at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
Our client was a professional person to whom not receiving a criminal conviction was of vital importance. The offending occurred in the work place, which involved a breach of trust. These sorts of matters are viewed very seriously by the Court, and generally, convictions follow. In this instance, we were able to resolve the matter at the earliest opportunity. Kristina Kothrakis made submissions about her not having any prior criminal history, that she was a university graduate, a mother and a wife, and someone who’s employment would be jeopardised if a conviction was imposed.
What was the result?
The Magistrate was persuaded by that submission and imposed a Community Corrections Order without conviction.
DISCLAIMER: This is a real case study of an actual case from our files. Details pertaining to the client have been changed to protect their privacy. The sentence imposed and the charge have not been altered. These case studies are published to demonstrate real outcomes and give an indication of possible tariffs in Court. We do not guarantee a similar case on these charges will get the same result. Please note that we post results at our discretion, therefore while many case studies are average results, others are notable for their exceptional outcomes. PUBLISHED 25/02/2013
