A man who stole $20,000 from the Sebastopol Historical Society while acting as its treasurer will spend the next two months in jail after he abandoned his appeal.
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David Spenceley, 61, made 35 transactions from the historical society into his personal account, including $15,000 of Ballarat City Council funding, and pocketing cash membership payments for personal use.
Records showed Spenceley had transferred funds from the community organisation's account into his personal account between June 2016 and June 2018.
He was able to complete the transfers with his wife's login who was secretary at the time. Spenceley used the stolen money to pay off debts, bills and two small holidays to Warragul and Inverloch.
The Wendouree man was sentenced to two months' imprisonment and placed on an 18-month community correction order at the Ballarat Magistrates Court in November .
He appealed the severity of the sentence at the County Court in Ballarat on Wednesday with his barrister, Alan Hands, submitting imprisonment was a last resort for a 61-year-old man.
Mr Hands said his client's offending was driven by his status as a pensioner. "People cannot survive on a pension in this country. It's sad but it's true," Mr Hands said.
He said Spencelely had never been in prison and cared for his wife who experienced osteoarthritis.
Spencelely's wife, Lois, told the court there was "not much left in the pocket by the time we buy food".
She said she knew how to survive on a pension while her husband did not and she would be lonely if he was jailed but she would have to cope.
The court was told Spencelely had two prior dishonesty offences involving his former employer and a football club.
Judge Phillip Coish said he was in complete agreement with the two-month jail sentence imposed in the magistrates court.
"A clear message needs to be sent to people thinking of like behaviour," Judge Coish said.
Spencelely abandoned the appeal and two police officers led him into custody from the court room. He will serve two months' imprisonment followed by an 18-month community correction order, which includes 200 hours of unpaid community work.
He will be required to pay $20,000 in compensation.
Spencelely had pleaded guilty to obtaining property by deception and theft.
