Sofia Filipo, 41
Using a document with intent to defraud x4

Provided false information to Housing New Zealand to avoid paying the full amount of rent she should have been paying. In total, she failed to pay HNZ $11,185.

The Facts

Between 2006 and 2011 Filipo, a Mt Roskill mother-of-four defrauded Housing New Zealand by providing false information to the agency to avoid paying the full amount of rent she should have been paying. In total, she failed to pay HNZ $11,185.

The Victim:

Housing New Zealand, who asked Judge Russell Collins to order Filipo make weekly reparation payments of $20 until the entire amount was repaid. They asked for those payments to be increased if her financial circumstances changed for the better.

Features of Offending:

Aggravating:

• None

Mitigating:

• first time offender
• early guilty plea
• remorseful

Probation Report Findings:

• Community work would be the most appropriate sentence. Filipo's husband had not signed consent for their home address to be considered for home detention.

Judge's Comments:

“ It is not in the realm that you, as a first offender, would be going to prison. It is impractical and unhelpful to start the sentencing process with the notional term of imprisonment. It is not appropriate to consider home detention (which) only becomes available if you were going to be sent to prison. I am satisfied on the information placed before me by the Probation Service and your counsel that the appropriate sentence is one of community work. I am also obliged to consider the issue of reparation. Parliament has dictated that Judges must look to impose the least restrictive sentence. I am satisfied that community work is the most appropriate and least restrictive. The reason that the full amount of reparation hasn't been imposed is that I am of the view that you have insufficient means to make that reparation. It will still take you three years to make those payments. ” Judge Russell Collins