Thomas Graham Greenaway: Geraldton man successfully appeals against stealing convictions, set for retrial

A Geraldton financial adviser convicted of stealing money and defrauding an Aboriginal native title fund of almost $3 million has successfully appealed against the decision and is headed for a retrial.

Thomas Graham Greenaway was sentenced to six years and four months jail in November last year for 33 counts of stealing and one count of fraud after being found guilty of stealing $2.9m from the Yugunga-Nya People’s Trust.

The Court of Appeal quashed those convictions, ordered a retrial on 33 of the charges and acquitted Mr Greenaway of the remaining charge.

During a two-week trial in the Geraldton District Court in August 2021, Mr Greenaway was accused of using the Aboriginal native title fund as his “own personal ATM machine” between June 2013 and March 2017 to prop up his failing pub the Freemasons Hotel.

Mr Greenaway was also previously ordered to pay $2.1m to the Yugunga’s Peoples’ Trust as compensation.

The Court of Appeal suppressed the reasons for its decision to quash Mr Greenaway’s original convictions.

Mr Greenaway is set to appear in Perth District Court next month for a trial listing conference. He was on bail pending the outcome of the appeal and this has been extended to his next court hearing.