By Luke Voogt
A Geelong instructor accepted cash kickbacks for issuing false certificates to drive heavy trucks, a court has ruled.
Victorian County Court judge Elizabeth Gaynor sentenced Michael Harrington, 65, to four months’ imprisonment with 17 months suspended after he pleaded guilty to eight charges.
Harrington pleaded guilty to pocketing $28,560 for 25 certificates without conducting any form of training or testing.
Between 2006 and 2012 Harrington issued a further 309 certificates of competency knowing the information was false, relating to fees not received of $283,500, Judge Gaynor found.
Judge Gaynor said Harrington’s actions allowed hundreds of people who were not properly accredited to drive “some of the largest and potentially most lethal vehicles”.
“I cannot say that any of those persons who achieved false accreditation went out and caused horrendous accidents on the road,” she said.
“But the potential for it was very much raised because of your own actions.”
Harrington had been in charge of assessors at Linfox’s Anglesea Complex, a contracted VicRoads provider and registered training organisation for heavy vehicle training.
He conducted training at Avalon Airport until August 2009 and then at a Linfox workshop facility in Laverton.
In April 2012 investigators from the Linfox Security Group commenced an investigation into Harrington’s activities, unearthing the racket.
Harrington admitted to Linfox investigators on 5 July to incorrectly issuing of certificates of competency between 2009 and 2012.
He told the investigators he believed he had taken $16,000 for the certificates, which he then repaid, the court heard.
VicRoads notified 784 people, who Harrington tested since 2005, to inform them that they required a retest.
VicRoads paid for the testing, which Linfox Anglesea Complex reimbursed to the value $90,000.
Judge Gaynor said 133 passed the re-test, 144 surrendered their certificate, 267 failed to make an appointment, 117 failed the re-test and 21 failed to attend their appointment.
A further 102 did not require a retest for various reasons.
The judge described Harrington’s prospects of rehabilitation as excellent.
“I do not think you are a man who lived the high life as a result of what you did,” she said.
“I have no doubt, and I accept, that you are truly remorseful for your offending.”
