Michael Lauria, who managed the company’s Geelong branch, was also ordered to pay $5264 in compensation to Origin, according to a news report in the Geelong Advertiser.

During the hearing at Geelong Magistrates’ Court, prosecutors alleged that between March 2005 and February 2006, Lauria reprocessed a number of sales at lower, discounted prices and pocketed the difference.

Magistrate Ron Saines said he found the Origin Geelong branch had suffered from poor management, poor accounting and poor auditing. He said the thefts were committed on 15 different days when Lauria was the only person on duty.

Yesterday he was convicted on 16 counts of theft and 14 of false accounting. Remaining charges were either withdrawn or dismissed.