LATROBE Valley resident Nicole Tanya Stivic has been sentenced to three months’ jail and a community corrections order after she was found guilty of abusing funds made available to victims of the 2009 bushfires.
The mother of eight pleaded guilty before the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court on Monday to one charge of obtaining property by deception, namely, funds in excess of $13,000 from the Department of Human Services’ Emergency Grants.
The court heard Stivic had attended the Mirboo North and Traralgon Recovery Centres between 10 and 24 February 2009 and made false declarations on the personal hardship grant assessments.
It is believed she will appeal the sentence.
