Culburra Beach couple Craig and Cheryl Stanton, who have owned and operated Bomaderry business Kitchens and Bathrooms Rock for five years, said they were “gutted” after a former employee, Maryanne Spresser, was placed on a 16-month intensive corrections order, a three-year good behaviour bond and ordered to repay more than $95,000 compensation after having previously been given a jail term which she had appealed.

“We left court on Friday stunned,” Mrs Stanton said.

“We thought the legal system was there to protect the innocent but that certainly hasn’t been the case here.

“I left the court in tears, Craig was frustrated. We definitely feel let down by the legal system.

“She had previously been sentenced to a jail term, but the judge didn’t even give her home detention. This is a huge back flip.

“The judge said he agreed with the first judgment of jail time but then said ‘but…’ and it was a big but.

“He said he had to take into consideration there was no one to look after Spresser’s 10-year-old child.

“We were never asked how it affected us or our three children.

“None of our statements were presented and even our Victim Impact Statement wasn’t read out.”

“It just doesn’t feel like there is any justice,” Mr Stanton said.

“And there is no recourse for us. It’s just wrong.”

Worse still there was then argument over whether Spresser had to pay back the money she stole from the company.

“The previous judge had issued an order for compensation, [she was originally given 28 days to pay] yet despite having recordings of that it wasn’t in the transcripts and the DPP had to argue for that to be included in the judgment,” Mrs Stanton said.

“It was all about the defendant, there was nothing about the victims.”

The couple said further expenses incurred by their former trusted employee kept coming to light.

“We recently got a $7000 bill for workers compensation payments which we thought had been previously paid,” Mrs Stanton said.

“The Australian Taxation Office has also been on to us because payments were not made, again by our employee.”

They haven’t drawn a wage for months as they try to keep their business afloat and their employees in jobs.

“Craig has worked seven days a week for the last six months – just to try and save us some money,” Mrs Stanton said.

“It’s having a huge effect on him and our family. He gets home each night after the kids have gone to bed, and he’s in here on weekends working.

“He’s exhausted mentally and physically.

“Our suppliers have been brilliant. A great support but they also need to get paid as well.

“We are just so grateful that our suppliers and customers have been so supportive.”

The couple said it was hard not to feel bitter.

“I’m angry, I’m disappointed the legal system virtually did nothing,” Mrs Stanton said.

It is believed Spresser was back at work on Monday at a local takeaway business.