Jane Maria Sakovits v R Ronald Rudolf Sakovits v R
[2014] NSWCCA 109
At a glance
Source factsCourt
Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW)
Decision date
2014-06-13
Before
Leeming JA, Price J, Bellew J, Hall J
Catchwords
- (2011) 211 A Crim R 147 Eken v R [2007] NSWCCA 320 Hili v R
- Jones v R (2010) 242 CLR 520
- [2010] HCA 45 Markarian v R (2005) 228 CLR 357
- [2005] HCA 25 Pham v R [2009] NSWCCA 25
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Catchwords
Judgment (9 paragraphs)
Judgment 1THE COURT: On 4 February 2013 the applicants Jane Maria Sakovits and Ronald Rudolf Sakovits pleaded not guilty to an indictment containing two counts, namely: (i)that between about 1 April 2001 and about 23 May 2001 at Sydney in the state of New South Wales and elsewhere, conspired with Lynette Cataline Liles and each other to defraud the Commonwealth; and (ii)that between about 24 May 2001 and about 30 September 2006 at Sydney in the state of New South Wales and elsewhere, did conspire with Lynette Cataline Liles and each other with the intention of dishonestly causing a loss to a third person, namely, the Commonwealth. 2The first count alleged an offence contrary to ss. 29D and 86(1) of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) ("the Act"), the maximum penalty for which is 20 years imprisonment and/or a fine of 2000 penalty units. The second count alleged an offence contrary to s. 134.5(3) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) ("the Code"), the maximum penalty for which is 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $66,000.00. 3It will be apparent that the Crown alleged a single conspiracy between 1 April 2001 and 30 September 2006. The necessity for two separate counts was brought about by legislative changes which came into effect on 24 May 2001 (see generally Agius v R [2011] NSWCCA 119). For the purposes of sentencing, it was accepted that the maximum penalty in respect of count 1 should be regarded as being 10 years imprisonment (see R v Boughen; R v Cameron [2012] NSWCCA 17 at [3]). 4Following a trial before Hall J and a jury, the applicants were found guilty of the offences. On 26 April 2013 his Honour sentenced each of the applicants as follows: (i)in respect of count 1, imprisonment for a period of 6 months commencing on 26 April 2013 and expiring 25 October 2013; (ii)in respect of count 2, imprisonment for a period of 5 years commencing on 26 April 2013 and expiring on 25 April 2018, to be released on a recognizance at the expiration of 2 years and 6 months, namely 25 October 2015, upon giving security in the amount of $200.00 on a condition to be of good behaviour for a period of 2 years and 6 months. 5Each of the applicants now seeks leave to appeal against the sentences which were imposed. The two grounds of appeal are as follows: (i)the learned sentencing judge erred in his determination of the hardship of a custodial sentence to members of the applicants' family, and to the applicants; (ii)the sentences imposed in respect of count 2 were manifestly excessive. 6As we have set out more fully below, the first ground was based partly upon the effect of a custodial sentence upon Mrs Margaret Potts, the mother of the applicant Jane Sakovits. Following the imposition of sentence, Mrs Potts passed away. However, it was conceded by counsel for the applicants on the hearing of the appeal that Mrs Potts' death was not relevant to the determination of the first ground, and that the question of whether the sentencing judge had erred was to be determined according to the circumstances which prevailed at the time of sentencing. THE FACTS 7His Honour found the following facts (see R v Sakovits [2013] NSWSC 464 at [18] and following): "18 During the period of the offending, both offenders were directors of a company, Inform Promotions ("Inform"). Mr Ronald Sakovits was secretary of that company until 30 June 2006, on which date Mrs Sakovits was appointed secretary of the company. 19 Either or both of Mr and Mrs Sakovits authorised the lodgement of the company tax returns for Inform for the financial years ended 30 June 2000 to 30 June 2006. 20 Their involvement in what has been characterised as a tax avoidance scheme during which the offences by them were committed occurred in circumstances in which their accountant, Lynette Liles, introduced them to a scheme which led to them participating in an offshore "round robin" arrangement involving a Vanuatu company, International Prestige Promotions ("IPPI"). The arrangement enabled the offenders to evade payment of both company and personal income tax. 21 The company, IPPI, was incorporated by the offenders in Vanuatu at the suggestion and with the assistance of Ms Liles. The company income tax frauds were achieved through the transfer of monies from Australia to Vanuatu disguised as legitimate payments by Inform for the cost of services such as 'marketing and promotions' provided by IPPI. 22 The offenders created or were party to the creation of false invoices purportedly raised by IPPI to give the appearance of the payments being for legitimate business expenses. The offenders and Liles falsely recorded the payments from Inform to IPPI in Inform's accounts as business expenses. Such false expenses in turn flowed through to the relevant company income tax returns, thereby reducing the company's taxable income declared to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and the overall amount of company tax paid. Due to the ATO's system of self-assessment, the tax returns were processed automatically, resulting in assessments being issued based on the tax returns depriving the ATO of the correct amount of tax. 23 The offenders' participation in the arrangement caused a loss to the taxation revenue in the following respects: (1) unpaid company tax on income fraudulently reduced by claims for the deduction from assessable income of fictitious business expenses; and (2) unpaid personal tax through the fraudulent failure to declare as assessable income the monies received by the scheme participants in consequence of the international round robins (the receipts being dividends and hence part of their assessable incomes). 24 The company tax shortfall resulting from the false claims for Inform over the years 2000-2006 was $530,789. 25 The amounts falsely claimed as 'marketing and promotion' and other expenses in respect of the individual financial years may be summarised as follows: (i) The financial year ended 30 June 2000, total expenses claimed amounted to $216,727, resulting in a tax shortfall of approximately $101,862. (ii) In respect of the financial year ended 30 June 2001, total expenses falsely claimed was $231,538, resulting in a tax shortfall of approximately $46,313. (iii) In respect of the financial year ended 30 June 2002, expenses falsely claimed was $181,766, together with 'agency fees' of $16,000 resulting in a tax shortfall of approximately $59,302. (iv) In respect of the financial year ended 30 June 2003, expenses incorrectly claimed was $208,938.18, and 'agency fees' of $89,624 resulting in a tax shortfall of approximately $89,569. (v) In respect of the financial year ended 30 June 2004, two groups of expenses were falsely claimed, the first amounted to $216,783.50, and the second, $257,534.80 resulting in a tax shortfall of approximately $112,475. (vi) In respect of the financial year ended 30 June 2005, expenses falsely amounted to claim $268,582, and a further $94,384 resulting in a tax shortfall of approximately $89,448. (vii) In respect of the financial year ended 30 June 2006, expenses falsely claimed as 'rent' was $109,150, and 'agency fees' of $106,071 resulting in a tax shortfall of approximately $31,821. 26 The personal income tax shortfall resulting from Jane Sakovits' failure to declare her true assessable income for the seven financial years in question was $326,432. 27 The personal income tax shortfall resulting from Ronald Sakovits' failure to declare his true assessable income for the seven financial years in question was approximately $320,672. 28 The total company and personal income tax shortfall is approximately $1,177,893."