Heartless fraud ripped off autistic youngsters for $750,000 however blew it on the bookies, dwelling the excessive life – and shopping for footy Grand Final tickets
A ruthless fraud conned two Melbourne‘s schools out of more than $750,000 to bankroll his shameless gambling habit and fake his sham lifestyle.
Leigh O’Neill, 43, was jailed on Wednesday for three years and four months after pleading guilty to stealing $764,593 from the two schools in the city’s north-west.
Melbourne County Court heard O’Neill drained Craigieburn Secondary College and the Jacana School for Autism while business manager at both schools between November 2019 and July 2023.
The father of one began his extensive series of frauds at Craigieburn where he stole $654,593 between between November 19 and December 2022.
The Geelong Cats supporter used the cash to buy premium tickets to the 2022 Grand Final for him and his son, despite previously being declared bankrupt.
Students were starved of resources at the school – but O’Neill was able to cheer on his beloved Cats as they swept to 81-point victory over the Sydney Swans.
O’Neill then took up a post at specialist school Jacana, which helps kids with autism and is reliant on volunteers and taxpayer-funded education department cash.
The fraudster, who started at Jacana in January 2023, managed to steal $110,111 in barely four months between March and July 2023.
Leigh O’Neill (pictured) was jailed on Wednesday after pleading guilty to stealing $764,593 from two Melbourne schools
O’Neill, a Geelong Cats supporter, was able to afford premium tickets for him and his son to go to the 2022 Grand Final despite previously declaring bankruptcy
O’Neill blew most of the stolen money betting on horse-racing and greyhounds using online gambling apps.
The prosecution agreed cash was squandered on his gambling habit, but questioned whether some of the money also went to ‘sustain his lifestyle’.
Judge Gavan Meredith called O’Neill a ‘chronic gambler’.
‘You spent large amounts gambling daily,’ Judge Meredith said.
A psychologist found O’Neill had an ‘inability to accept failure’ and wanted to appear more successful than he was.
O’Neill’s life of crime unravelled when school creditors reported issues with unpaid invoices and he was ‘asked to leave’ his job.
His trail of deceit was exposed after an education department investigator discovered the ‘protracted’ offending.
O’Neill was reported to cops but he was uncooperative and refused to answer police questions.
O’Neill stole money from the Jacana – a specialist school which aids kids with autism and is reliant on volunteers and taxpayer-funded education department cash
O’Neill, who was supported in court by his ex-partner, his parents and siblings, declared bankruptcy after working as an RSL venue manager for 12 years
The court heard O’Neill’s methods involved duplicating invoices for subcontracted school services including cleaning.
O’Neill paid himself for the first invoice then paid creditors for the second to disguise his theft.
Judge Meredith asked how O’Neill managed to get away with the racket for as long as he did.
The court was told the cash came from an education department school fund and the stolen cash was repaid through insurance.
‘So he’s paid himself out of this pot of money to keep creditors happy,’ Judge Meredith said.
The court heard O’Neill was a talented footballer who was once listed to play for a VFL team but decided to remain in local football.
He also coached his son’s Oak Park junior footy team while he volunteered at the club for the past four years.
O’Neill, who was supported in court by his ex-partner, his parents and siblings, had declared bankruptcy after working as an RSL venue manager for 12 years.
But the defence said O’Neill was ‘presenting himself as someone who was living a successful life’.
Friends, including the parent of a child he coached, said O’Neill was ‘well-respected in the community’ and ‘put the needs of others ahead of himself’.
O’Neill blew most of the stolen money betting on horse-racing and greyhounds using online gambling apps
Supporters also praised O’Neill as a ‘kind man’ and ‘generous and devoted’ dad who helped out at school sports days.
Craigieburn Secondary College business manager Doreen Brown told the court O’Neill’s offending had a ‘profound effect on my emotional wellbeing’.
Ms Brown said she suffered anxiety because O’Neill defrauded the school payment systems which she had taught him how to use.
Judge Meredith also lashed O’Neill for the ‘protracted nature’ of his fraud and ‘egregious breach of trust’.
‘You utilised your employer’s funds for your own personal expenses,’ he said.
‘You abused your trusted position, you were living beyond your means.’
Judge Meredith accepted O’Neill had a chance of rehabilitation but ‘provided you commit to a gambling-free future’.
O’Neill has since undertaken gambling counselling and has declared he will never bet again.
He became emotional as he was jailed for a a minimum 20-month term behind bars.
Judge Meredith warned: ‘He’ll potentially come into contact with anti-social people.’
