Carrington Resort trial: Former manager defends actions in court

RNZ News

2 days ago

By Shannon Pitman, Open Justice reporter of
Belle Mumby (inset) defended forgery charges related to her time working at Carrington Resort.
Photo:
Supplied / NZME / Open Justice
A judge-alone
trial against a former manager
of a luxury resort accused of fraudulent behaviour has wrapped up but not before she had her say, painting a picture of mounting workloads and rightful entitlements.
"I could foresee it would get worse," Belle Mumby said, defending the long hours she claims were justified, despite the resort's insistence otherwise.
The former Carrington Resort operations manager has spent the past two weeks facing charges of theft, deception, and forgery in a judge-alone trial in the Whangārei District Court.
The Crown alleges Mumby photocopied CEO Jing Ma's signature on an overtime form and claimed payments she wasn't entitled to.
She is also accused of using the company account for personal purchases and selling resort-owned equipment - a trailer and post rammer - for $3000 and keeping the proceeds.
Mumby maintains Ma approved the photocopied overtime document because she was often unavailable to sign off.
She also claims the purchases were for the resort and argues the equipment was unusable, with Ma allegedly pocketing some of the funds.
The prosecution's key witness, Ma, faced five days of cross-examination by defence lawyer Wayne McKean. She repeatedly asserted Mumby had stolen from the resort and that none of the overtime claims, purchases, or equipment sales were authorised.
Before Mumby took the stand on Tuesday, the resort's payroll clerk, Wendy Weng, said all the overtime forms needed approval with a higher authority signature.
Weng was presented an email from Mumby which stated Ma was happy for her to sign off her leave forms from now on.
Weng also assumed this included overtime as well.
"I saw Jing was included in this email so I assumed Jing was in agreement and she didn't reply otherwise," Weng said.
Mumby, taking the stand on Tuesday, said she foresaw her overtime hours increasing as summer approached and waiting for the CEO to sign off was impossible as she was never there.
Belle Mumby said she was authorised to do the overtime and purchase items.
Photo:
Supplied / NZME / Open Justice
She claimed Ma suggested signing blank forms that she could later photocopy and complete based on hours worked.
"She indicated to me she would come less and less in the future so I [asked] her 'So what happens to my overtime?' I need the verification'," Mumby said.
"She suggest[ed] no need to worry about that, she would sign on the blank form and I would go to photocopy it and fill out whatever hours I did, then I can claim it."
Mumby said she followed the procedure she was told to do.
Regarding the alleged unlawful purchases such as AirPods, iPads, a phone, security cameras and Oral B electric toothbrushes, Mumby insisted they were for the resort or for her job productivity.
Ma had previously given evidence that the post rammer and trailer that Mumby allegedly sold were valued at $100,000.
But Mumby said both the items were sitting with a pile of rusted machinery, were of no use and sold for $3000.
During cross-examination by Crown lawyer Danica Soich, it was suggested to her that clients would never use Oral B electric toothbrushes that may have been previously used by others.
Soich pointed out that several items purchased on the resort's account were found at Mumby's house or in her car, including an unopened security system.
"There was never a plan to return those items, was there?" Soich asked.
"No, I was going to bring them back after sorting myself out from Hong Kong," Mumby replied.
"You felt entitled to more than what you were receiving from Carrington?" Soich pressed.
"No, I'm happy," Mumby responded.
"You bought those items for yourself," Soich alleged.
"No, that is wrong," Mumby countered.
Mumby said that upon her return from her trip to Hong Kong, she was brought into Ma's office, fired and promised a discussion that never happened.
The trial closed on Thursday and Judge Taryn Bayley has reserved her decision.
* This story originally appeared in the
New Zealand Herald.