Funeral director jailed for faking deaths to claim insurance payouts

A funeral director from Adelaide, Australia, who faked the deaths of clients to cash in their pre-paid funeral plans has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail. Robin George Knight, 46, misappropriated more than $700,000 from 196 clients between 2003 and 2013, Holden Hill Magistrates Court heard. At the time he was the director of Knight Funeral Homes at Para Hills, also known as Knight Brenton James Funeral Directors. The company has since closed down. Knight pleaded guilty to nearly 200 theft and dishonestly charges.

The court heard he falsely claimed clients had died and used their funeral money for bills and other business costs. Representing himself in court, Knight told the sentencing magistrate he deeply regretted his offending and would do all he could to repay the victims. "It is a daily struggle to live with the consequences of my actions, particularly how a number of people have been let down and left with a severe disadvantage," he said. "I deeply regret my actions and apologise to everybody concerned I assure you it was never my intention, even though my actions were incredibly wrong and misguided."



Knight said he would not reoffend and his case would likely deter others from similar behaviour. "I do take full responsibility for my actions and I deeply regret any persons that have been disadvantaged. I fully understand the sensitivities, I understand the breach of trust and it is a daily struggle to deal with what I have done and live with myself in terms of the affect I have had on other people's peace of mind," he added. Knight said his assets had been frozen and his hands were largely tied in civil action for compensation. The age of the victims who took out pre-paid funeral plans ranged from 37 to 99, with the majority in their 80s.

Magistrate Cathy Deland said Knight's offending was serious and warranted a prison term. "I note that this money has not gone into funding a luxurious lifestyle for you, it has gone into your attempt to keep the business afloat when obviously it was not able to recover," she said. "Nevertheless the offending amounts to a breach of trust. I doubt the people who have lost their money are particularly interested in what happened to it, they have suffered regardless." She sentenced Knight to four-and-a-half years in jail with a non-parole period of three years. She also ordered the maximum amount of compensation the magistrate's jurisdiction allows, of $20,000.