Australian court bails student who 'spent bank error millions'

• 5 May 2016
 
• From the sectionAustralia

Image copyrightGetty Images

Image captionChristine Jiaxin Lee spent much of the money on luxury handbags, the court heard

An Australian court has granted bail to a Malaysian woman who withdrew more than A$4.6m (£2.3m) mistakenly made available to her by a bank.

A lawyer representing Christine Jiaxin Lee, 21, said she had spent about A$1m on luxury items including handbags.

Ms Lee, a student, was arrested at Sydney airport on Wednesday while trying to travel to Malaysia.

Prosecutors say she withdrew the money from Westpac bank within a year and did not notify authorities of the error.

She has been charged with obtaining financial advantage by deception and with knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime, Australian broadcaster ABC reported.

The court in Sydney heard that Ms Lee, a chemical engineering student who has lived in Australia for five years, had opened a Westpac bank account in August 2012 and had mistakenly been given an unlimited overdraft.

Magistrate Lisa Stapleton granted Ms Lee bail on Thursday, although under strict conditions.

Ms Lee's lawyer said the student had been trying to return to Malaysia to visit her parents.