A Dubbo mum's attempt to avoid a stint in jail has failed in court after a Judge found the $200,000 she stole from her employers was "too much".
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Margaret Hull was sentenced to 18 months in jail in May for pocketing almost $32,000 from Orana Energy Systems and around $163,000 from the Dubbo Radio Cabs co-operative over a combined six year period.
She appealed the severity of that sentence in the District Court on Tuesday and took to the stand to give evidence for the first time.
"In 1989 my first child died to cancer," the 55-year-old told the court.
She said she suffered postnatal depression and never sought help because "back in the day" people were "told to suck it up".
Nine years after her son died the court heard Hull's husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Court documents revealed Hull was the victim of domestic violence but excused it and put it down to her husband's illness.
The couple separated in 2006 and Hull became a single mum.
I feel sorry for those that I've affected so badly.
- Margaret Hull.
In 2014, when Hull's tendency to engage in fraud had taken off, her mother was diagnosed with cancer.
"My mother refused treatment... my sister, my niece and I looked after her," Hull said in court.
Hull's mother and husband died during the period in which she was stealing. A close family acquaintance also died by suicide.
In court documents Hull's legal representative said her client was "suffering under tremendous emotional strain as a result of the family tragedies that occurred after the death of her infant child".
After she was sentenced to jail in Dubbo Local Court, Hull said she started seeing a financial counsellor and was waiting to see a psychologist.
She said she wanted to pay the money back and secure paid employment again.
"I feel sorry for those that I've affected so badly," Hull said.
Judge John North said "the amount of money is too much and the breach of trust is too high" before he delivered his judgement.
"It is necessary to impose a sentence that will hopefully deter others in a similar position, from fraud and the impact it can have in a community," he said as some of Hull's victims watched proceedings in the public gallery.
Judge North set aside the 13 month non-parole period Magistrate Gary Wilson imposed and reduced it to 10 months.
Hull will be eligible for release in May 2020.
She will appear in court via audiovisual link from jail on August 8 when a compensation order for victims will be dealt with.
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