Officer tried over �false timesheet�
A former WA Police Officer of the Year has been accused of giving false information about unpaid community service for his nephew-in-law.
Rex John Eugene Weldon, 58, is on trial in Kalgoorlie Magistrate's Court for fraudulently falsifying records while he was employed as a senior Aboriginal police liaison officer at Laverton police station.
Mr Weldon allegedly provided a timesheet to the Department of Corrective Services claiming his wife's nephew Grant Bonney did 12 hours of community service in the week ending October 27, 2013.
It is alleged his wife Shaneane told Mr Weldon that Mr Bonney did zero hours community service for the week in question before Mr Weldon faxed the timesheet to DCS.
Mr Weldon, who was stood down from operational duties last year after police internal affairs charged him, previously pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawfully using a computer.
At the time of the alleged offences, Mr Weldon was chairman of Mt Margaret Aboriginal Corporation.
Under an agreement with the DCS, the corporation supervises offenders ordered to complete a community-based order, a work development order or because they are unable to pay fines.
As chairman, one of Mr Weldon's duties was to ensure offenders complete the minimum requirement of 12 hours a week.
The DCS pays the community for supervising the offenders.
Failure to complete the designated hours means an offender can potentially be sent to jail for breaching a court order.
Mr Bonney was ordered to serve 30 hours community service in 2013 because he was unable to pay about $1200 in fines for possession of methylamphetamine, cannabis and stolen property.
In a phone call on October 25, 2013, Mr Weldon allegedly asked his wife if she had sent Mr Bonney's timesheet to the DCS.
She allegedly told her husband Mr Bonney had not completed any hours that week but Mr Weldon signed off on the minimum 12 hours and sent the timesheet to the DCS.
The court was told yesterday Mr Bonney was trying to find a job at the time.
In an interview with internal affairs officers, Mr Weldon accepted that completing community work would reflect favourably on Mr Bonney in his efforts to get a job.
In the interview, Mr Weldon said he could not accurately recall how many hours Mr Bonney did that week and there could have been a "breakdown in communications".
The trial continues today.
