Melbourne, Aug 2 (ANI): An Aussie woman has been put behind bars for using company credit card for funding her husband's heroine addiction. 

Jennifer Helen Savage, from Mentone has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in imprisonment.

The 39-year-old executive assistant in General Mills Australia was given the American Express corporate card for company business expenses and not her own use, but racked up an enormous bill of 841,000 dollars on her card.

The County Court heard that Savage bought groceries, clothes, petrol, gift vouchers, photographic equipment, computers and electrical items.

Her husband allegedly sold the electrical equipment and computers to fund his heroin addiction. The vouchers were exchanged for half of their face value to purchase heroin.

Judge Geoff Chettle said: "You thought it was necessary for you as a wife to support your husband's heroin habit. You were under emotional pressure from your husband to continue funding his addiction," reports News.com.au. 

He said that while her husband's addiction gave some explanation for Savage's conduct, it did not justify it.

The judge also heard that Savage's husband was aggressive when drinking and she noticed he became calmer when using illicit drugs.

According to a forensic psychologist, this is what "attracted" Savage to her husband's drug use.

His addiction reduced the level of violence and she was under emotional pressure to commit the offences to ensure her self-preservation.

Savage was forced to give fake details in the bank statements when they arrived at General Mills Australia so that her purchases were not detected but was caught in May 2006. She was spending more than 2300 dollars a day.

"It's clear that staggering sums of money were being misappropriated by you on a daily basis," said Judge Chettle.

He said the card was also used extensively before Savage's husband even began using heroin.

Savage has been pleaded guilty to 13 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception. (ANI)

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