Heath Walton was charged late last year with a string of fraud-related offences in relation to his former employers, WHK Darcy Kennedy.

He was this week convicted for four counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception.

The book on Mr Walton’s four-year deception was finally closed this week, more than two years after both an extensive internal and a police investigation.

Mr Walton stole money from the local accounting firm between 2002 and early 2006 by transferring funds from company bank accounts.

It wasn’t until November last year that Mr Walton walked into Waverley Police Station with his solicitor where he was interviewed and charged.

He was sentenced to jail on Tuesday by District Court judge, Her Honour Deborah Sweeney.

Dubbo police started investigating the fraud in 2006 after they were approached by WHK Darcy Kennedy, which had concluded its own internal investigation.

A “series of systematic and complex transactions” were discovered during a routine preparation of 2006 first half financial statements.

The fraud related to company expense operations and not client funds.

Mr Walton was suspended from the firm and WHK initiated civil proceedings to freeze his assets.

The crime was considered an unusual one for Dubbo given the significant amount of money involved.