Australian Taxation Office (ATO) whistleblower Richard Boyle has avoided convictions and a jail sentence, seven years after publicly exposing aggressive debt collection practices at the tax office.
The 49-year-old former debt collection officer in South Australia's District Court to four charges, after striking a deal with prosecutors.
After raising concerns about practices internally at the ATO, he went public with the allegations on the ABC's Four Corners program in 2018.
The allegations included that his area within the ATO was instructed to use heavy-handed tactics on taxpayers who owed the tax office money.
In May, he pleaded guilty to the offences of disclosing protected information to another entity, making a record of protected information, using a listening device to record a private conversation and recording another person's tax file number.
Judge Liesl Kudelka found for reasons, including Mr Boyle's prior good character, poor mental health — along with a finding that the offending occurred in "extenuating circumstances" — convictions for the offending were not required.
As Mr Boyle signed the bond, many in the packed courtroom became overwhelmed with emotion.
After signing the bond, he apologised, to which Judge Kudelka responded that his apology was not required.
"It's called the wheels of justice," she said.
In sentencing Judge Kudelka said she accepted that Mr Boyle "genuinely believed that what you were doing was necessary to blow the whistle on conduct at...
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