Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg ruled Thomson, 49, had dishonestly used his union credit card to pay for prostitutes on several occasions between 2002 and 2008 when he was the HSU’s national secretary.
Thomson – who remained emotionless as the verdict was handed down – was also found guilty of making cash withdrawals from his union credit cards, buying cigarettes and firewood for his then-wife, paying for travel for his then-wife and using union funds after he left the HSU and become the federal MP for Dobell.
However, Rozencwajg dismissed 13 charges relating to Thomson’s charging of pornographic movies to his hotel room saying that as the expenses had been approved and paid by HSU officials, he couldn’t be certain Thomson’s conduct was “dishonest”. Some charges relating to travel expenses of Thomson’s then-wife were also dismissed.
Victoria Police brought more than 140 fraud and theft charges totalling more than $28,000 against Thomson. He pleaded not guilty to all of them.
Thomson faces a maximum sentence of five years in jail.
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