Auckland, Feb 11 NZPA - A former All Black wiped tears from his eyes as a judge praised his community spirit before convicting him on two fraud charges.

However, Doug Rollerson walked from the court without penalty after Judge Rhys Harrison told him the cost of the fraud had left him financially and emotionally destitute.

Rollerson had earlier admitted two charges of fraud laid by the Serious Fraud Office after pokie machine money flowed into the North Harbour Rugby Union and gave others operating the machines substantial kickbacks.

The court heard Rollerson, who played 24 games for All Blacks including eight tests, was NHRU chief executive when he presented invoices to the union which he knew were false but which allowed others to take a commission of about $1 million on the gaming machine funds which were handed to the union.

One of those was former Kiwis rugby league player Brent Todd. Todd and co-accused Stanley Malik Champalal Wijeyaratne admitted fraud charges last year. Todd was sentenced to home detention for 12 months and given 190 hours of community work. Wijeyaratne was fined $50,000 and ordered to pay $400,000 in reparations.

Three others will defend similar charges in an Auckland District Court trial later this year.

Today the judge told Rollerson he made no money from the fraud but his role was "central to the success of this fraud scheme".

He said without Rollerson's involvement the scheme would not have worked and the others would not have taken substantial kickbacks.

"It is beyond doubt you did not receive a cent for yourself," the judge told Rollerson.

He also said without the fraud the net take to the union would have been much less.

"At 55 you have suffered a monumental fall from grace,' he told Rollerson.

He said Rollerson had lost a job worth $170,000 a year, a family home worth $900,000, a beach home worth $1 million, shares, a family boat and an inheritance from his parents.

However, he told Rollerson it was a privilege to see someone who made such a contribution to the community and who was a man "in all respects of impeccable character".

He said he was moved by endorsements from former chairman of the North Harbour Rugby Union Laurie Margrain who said he would employ Rollerson again in spite of what had happened.

Former All Blacks captain Graham Mourie said he had been a friend of Rollerson for 35 years and said he had a sense of loyalty, fair play, generosity and commitment on and off the field.

The judge said earlier in his sentencing he was a personal friend of Mourie and asked SFO prosecutor David Jones QC if that was a problem. Mr Jones said it was not.

As the judge told Rollerson few people in society enjoyed such wide respect, Rollerson wiped tears from his eyes and his bottom lip quivered as he struggled to hold his emotions together.

However, the judge also said he was not satisfied a conviction would be disproportionate to the offending and rejected that submission from Rollerson's lawyer, John Haigh QC.

He said it was pointless fining Rollerson or ordering him to pay court costs and there was no point in a sentence of community service.

He said he had paid a much greater price than others who had served the community with great distinction.

"I hope this brings to an end a very unhappy episode in your life.

"I wish you well," the judge said.

Outside court Rollerson said he was disappointed not to have been discharged without conviction.

"What I did I did for the good of the union and never got any personal gain out of it at all."

He refused to say more.

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