Melbourne mum Duvelle Jeffrey nicked $890,000 to buy bags and shoes

"Once I started I just couldn't stop," Jeffrey told the police. Prosecutor Amina Bhai told the County Court Jeffrey gave money to her parents, sisters and friends, and took them on overseas holidays. The 31-year-old was then earning $3000 a week from companies in the Comunicom Group for contract bookkeeping services. One company, Powerhouse International, lost $204,000 and went under. Ms Bhai said Jeffrey was responsible for all payments into and out of the companies, including wages, marketing service fees and weekly commissions for sales staff. When Powerhouse International's managing director complained about a lack of money in company accounts, Jeffrey said his business practices needed to improve. Defence barrister Greg Barns said the items found in Jeffrey's home were worth $150,000-$200,000. He said she worked from a serviced office in Hawthorn with very little supervision, and when her crimes were detected she felt a sense of relief. "There was an opportunity for creative accounting, and she took it," he said. Jeffrey and her husband sold their East Doncaster home for $1.1 million last year, and she paid her share of $219,000 to her victims. The mother of a four-year-old and a one-year-old now lives in a rented home in Point Cook. She pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft of sums ranging from $3544 to $414,000. Mr Barns said Jeffrey had a troubled upbringing in Singapore. In 2005, she decided to help out her mother, who she'd been told owed $170,000 in gambling debts. Mr Barns accepted Jeffrey had to go to jail, and faced the prospect of deportation. The plea hearing was to continue on February 10.