A former Sydney concierge was recently admitted as a solicitor despite previously serving three years in prison for defrauding taxpayers of more than $500,000.
asserted
concierge → admit → 500,000
David Wayne was jailed for a maximum six years for knowingly submitting false tax returns when he was known as David Wayne McKenna almost three decades ago.
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he → jail → McKenna
The 60-year-old, who was imprisoned from May 1998 to May 2001, was admitted as a solicitor in NSW in April this year and is regularly spotted around the city's courts.
uncertain
who → imprison → courts
He is working for a Kings Cross law firm which has its offices below The Elan, the landmark 40-storey residential tower where Mr Wayne once worked as a concierge.
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Wayne → work → concierge
Between February 1992 and July 1994, Mr Wayne defrauded the Commonwealth of various sums totalling $558,668.96.
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Wayne → defraud → 558,668.96
As well as pleading guilty to 22 counts of tax fraud, Mr Wayne had an earlier conviction for obtaining a financial benefit by deception from 1997.
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Wayne → plead → 1997
It is understood that offence related to not correcting an insurance claim inventory after realising a small household item had not been stolen during a burglary.
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item → understand → burglary
Members of Sydney's legal fraternity familiar with Mr Wayne's background have been wondering how a man who was jailed for crimes of dishonesty could be allowed to join their profession.
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who → wonder → profession
Former Sydney concierge David Wayne (above) was recently admitted as a solicitor despite previously serving three years in prison for defrauding taxpayers of more than $500,000
David Wayne (above) was jailed for a maximum six years for knowingly submitting false tax returns when he was known as David Wayne McKenna
But the Daily Mail has been told Mr Wayne is a 'poster boy for redemption' who has shown extreme remorse for his crimes and completely turned his life around.
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who → admit → life
Aspiring solicitors need to establish themselves to be a fit and proper person to practise law in NSW and disclose any prior offences to the Legal Profession Admission Board.
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solicitors → need → Board
The Mail has established Mr Wayne disclosed his criminal history to the board and provided substantial supporting material which convinced its members he deserved to become a lawyer.
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he → establish → members
Sources said the onetime accountant had been a model prisoner while serving his sentence, holding responsible jail roles and 'keeping his head down' until he got out.
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he → say → head
Mr Wayne then worked hard at low-paying jobs and trained as a barista, before his time as a concierge and a later career with the Department of Health.
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Wayne → work → Health
One close associate said Mr Wayne had further contributed to society through volunteering and an ongoing association with community health services.
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Wayne → say → services
He had been deeply ashamed of his criminal record and was for some time reluctant to pursue his legal ambitions but eventually did so with friends' encouragement.
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He → pursue → encouragement
Queensland-raised Mr Wayne has been employed for the past six months by Green & Associates, described as 'leading eastern suburbs lawyers' on its website.
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Wayne → raise → website
Mr Wayne marked his new life as a solicitor by posting on Instagram a picture of himself on April 24 holding a certificate recognising his admission to the NSW Supreme Court (above)
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Wayne → mark → Court
Mr Wayne posted another picture of a hand adorned with multiple rings pointing to a certificate acknowledging his registration as a practitioner with the High Court (above)
'Prior to Admission, David developed extensive experience in stakeholder engagement in public sector environments,' the firm states.
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firm → post → environments
'He is recognised for his analytical approach, strategic insight and strong written communication.
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He → recognise → approach
David combines meticulous preparation with a calm and pragmatic approach to legal problem-solving, with particular interest in matters involving complex personal and commercial dynamics.'
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David → combine → dynamics
Outside work, Mr Wayne 'has longstanding interests in opera, contemporary dance and the performing arts, and is a regular attendee at major productions in Australia, Europe and the United States.'
Mr Wayne did not wish to discuss his criminal past when contacted by the Mail, but the principal of Green & Associates, Dominic Green, summed up his new employee's rehabilitation as 'textbook stuff'.
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principal → have → stuff
'I think if there was ever a story of criminal redemption, this is it,' Mr Green said.
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Green → think → redemption
I've never seen anyone who was more deserving of another chance.
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who → see → chance
He literally turned his life around.
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He → turn → life
That's the reason I employed him.'
The Legal Profession Admission Board was contacted for comment.
Mr Wayne (above) is working for a Kings Cross law firm which has its offices below The Elan, the landmark 40-storey residential tower where Mr Wayne once worked as a concierge
Mr Wayne describes himself on social media as 'Sydney lawyer', 'world traveller' and 'performing arts believer'.
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Wayne → employ → lawyer
He marked his new life as a solicitor by posting on Instagram a picture of himself on April 24 holding a certificate recognising his admission to the NSW Supreme Court.
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He → mark → Court
That picture was captioned: 'Well a milestone that some may say was a long time coming, but perhaps I could reflect and say was inevitable.'
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I → caption → ?
In a follow-up thanks to a follower offering congratulations, he wrote: 'What I ride my life is... and thank those people who cross my path, as you have.'
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you → follow → path
Mr Wayne posted another picture of a hand adorned with multiple rings pointing to a certificate acknowledging his registration as a practitioner with the High Court.
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Wayne → post → Court
He captioned that image: 'Finally out of the envelope and framed.'
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He → caption → envelope
According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr Wayne gained a Bachelor of Laws from Western Sydney University in 2017 and in 2020 graduated from the College of Law.
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Wayne → accord → Law
He is a fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute and also holds a Bachelor of Business from Central Queensland University.
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He → hold → University
Justice Meagher was scathing of Mr Wayne's conduct defrauding his fellow citizens in a Court of Criminal Appeal judgement published in October 1999.
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Meagher → defraud → October
'The victim of his fraud was the Australian Tax Office or the Commonwealth of Australia,' Justice Meagher found.
'
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Meagher → find → Australia
That is one way of putting it.
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That → put → it
A more accurate way of putting it would be the victims of his frauds would be the people of Australia.
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victims → put → Australia
To make matters worse, he was a person of considerable literacy and skill and he employed the qualifications which he had gained as a university graduate and as an accountant in order to perpetrate his frauds.
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he → make → frauds
'To make matters worse still, he did so in a field in which detection is very unlikely and, if it casts a further unsatisfactory aspect on his behaviour, he did not do so in order to further any cause or to pay his creditors or to meet any personal needs.
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he → make → needs
He seemed to do it solely for his own enjoyment including giving himself expenses travel.'
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He → seem → travel
Those close to Mr Wayne say he has spent the past three decades trying to make up for those deeds.
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he → say → deeds
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
