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Receptionist involved in Tim Paine’s texting saga narrowly avoids jail after robbing Cricket Australia when judge rules it would be ‘unfair’ to put her behind bars
- Renee Ferguson sentenced to house arrest
- He pleaded guilty to robbing Cricket Tasmania
- Stole $5,600 in 2017 while working as a receptionist
The woman involved in a texting saga with former Australia Test cricket captain Tim Paine has dodged jail after stealing from former employer Cricket Tasmania but will spend time under house arrest.
Renee Ferguson, 49, previously pleaded guilty to stealing $5,600 in cash and sports body memberships in 2017 while working as a receptionist.
She appeared at Hobart Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where she was sentenced to eight months’ house arrest.
Chief Magistrate Catherine Geason decided not to activate a 12-month suspended prison sentence, which was hanging over Ferguson’s head at the time of the offence.
She was given a suspended sentence about eight weeks before stealing from Cricket Tasmania after being convicted of taking about $30,000 from a previous employer.
He was suspended on the condition that he did not commit another crime punishable by imprisonment for two years.
Renee Ferguson appeared at Hobart Magistrates Court on Wednesday where she was sentenced to eight months’ house arrest.
Ms Geason said it would have been “unfair” to trigger the suspended sentence and send Ferguson to jail.
Instead, he opted for a substitute sentence for the robberies against Cricket Tasmania and Ferguson’s previous employer.
She said the home detention, which will be served in Tasmania, would be particularly onerous because it was far from Ferguson’s current residence in Victoria.
Ferguson came to the national spotlight in late 2021 when it was revealed that Paine had sent him explicit text messages years earlier.
Ms. Ferguson came to the national spotlight in late 2021 when it was revealed that Tim Paine (pictured) had sent her explicit text messages years earlier.
Geason said that the media attention had forced Ferguson to move to another state to avoid humiliation and embarrassment.
She described Ferguson’s mental health at the time of the crime as poor.
“He has addressed his mental health issues … and continued to move on and put this offense behind him,” Ms Geason said.
Ferguson, who will be electronically monitored during home detention, previously pleaded guilty to 10 counts of theft involving $4,556 he took while working at Bellerive Oval.
He also pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonest acquisition of financial advantage for taking a $339 Hobart Hurricanes family membership and a $705 platinum junior Cricket Tasmania membership.
The court was told that she robbed Cricket Tasmania to essentially punish the organization after it raised concerns about a toxic work environment that went unaddressed.
Ferguson, who worked at Cricket Tasmania from August 2015 to December 2017, pocketed the money by recording cash transactions as eftpos.
Ms Ferguson, who worked at Cricket Tasmania from August 2015 to December 2017, pocketed money by recording cash transactions as eftpos
Discrepancies in Cricket Tasmania’s books were first noted in December 2017, prompting further audits.
His lawyer, Marcia Edwards, said Ferguson apologized to Cricket Tasmania and accepted that he breached her position of trust.
Cricket Tasmania was unaware of Ferguson’s earlier theft, which was done to cover a shortfall in pay, the court was told.
He had positive references from the manager of a motor inn where he now works, as well as from family and friends.