Previous law enforcement officer Peter Ravenscroft lied to land governing administration positions in Victoria

A previous British police officer who lied about his qualifications and practical experience to land two plum governing administration work opportunities immediately after he moved to Victoria has been spared a prison time period.

But Peter Ravenscroft’s deceptions amongst 2012 and 2017, when he was paid $456,000 by Frankston Town Council and then $197,000 by the Victorian Ombudsman business office, elevate questions about what amount of scrutiny govt businesses implement in their recruiting approach.

Ravenscroft was a embellished and distinguished officer with pretty much 20 years’ company with the Surrey and Sussex police forces when he moved to Melbourne with his family members in 2007 and was hired by the Office environment of Police Integrity and then labored with Victoria’s Department of Treasury and Finance.

In late 2012, he efficiently applied to function at Frankston Metropolis Council as a compliance basic safety manager, embellishing his working experience as a law enforcement officer in Britain and lying about his educational qualifications, the County Courtroom listened to on Wednesday.

Choose Angela Ellis explained Ravenscroft experienced lied to the council about currently being section of Britain’s nationwide crime squad and falsely claimed he had attained qualifications from Leeds, Aston and Brighton universities.

His assertions that he had attained diplomas from Learn Builders Victoria, the Australian Institute of Management and “Guildford University” were also lies, the court docket read. The latter does not exist, the courtroom heard, although the College of Surrey is found in the city of Guildford.

Ravenscroft was compensated $456,000 in income and superannuation at Frankston Council, the courtroom read, until finally he left and joined the Victorian Ombudsman office environment, even with staying below investigation by the council.

Making use of the similar phoney credentials he put to the council, he was appointed assistant director of strategic investigations at the Ombudsman business office and worked there from January 2016 to February 2017. He was compensated $197,000 in income and superannuation. He did not explain to his new employer he was remaining investigated by the council.

Ravenscroft was arrested in 2020 and later on pleaded responsible to two counts of getting a economical benefit by deception and one particular of perjury.

On Wednesday, Ellis claimed the 56-calendar year-old’s deceptions have been major and “probably entirely unnecessary”, as he could have landed the positions with his legit expertise, and during his time at Frankston Town Council he was regarded as an “exemplary” staff.