The former secretary of the National Union of Workers NSW branch has been sentenced to four years’ jail for spending more than $650,000 of union money on tattoos, botox treatments, boat cruises, cars and motorcycles.

Derrick Belan, 45, was found guilty in March of 60 charges, including dishonestly obtaining financial advantage and participating in a criminal group with a book keeper and IT contractor.

The Parramatta Local Court heard Belan intentionally defrauded the union between 2010 and 2015 by fraudulently using its credit card for personal expenses and being part of a scheme to submit fake IT invoices.

Belan’s lawyer said “not one red cent” was taken or used inappropriately by his client.

However, Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis said the former union secretary had spent the money “obtaining tattoos and indulging in botox treatments, cruises, rentals, and motor vehicles”.

“I reject his submission he had no knowledge of the misuse of union funds,” she said.

“The paper trail led to Belan instigating, knowing about, authorising, and benefiting from a matrix of fraud he set up.”

She added Belan had not shown any remorse or revealed a motive for his offending.

However she said she had concluded his motive was “personal greed, ingratiating himself to others, including family members, and a childish desire to have trinkets such as motorcycles”.

More to come.

-ABC