A former WA council CEO has been accused of spending $50,000 of council money on a sex worker. 

The state’s Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) alleges former Shire of Ravensthorpe chief executive Gavin Pollock created false invoices and claims to pay a sex worker seven times over a 12-month period. 

An investigation by the CCC, codenamed Operation Brass, has seized electronic devices used by Mr Pollock during a raid of shire offices.

The CCC’s report says the payments “were a serious misconduct and recommended criminal charges be considered”.

It said Mr Pollock was a client of the sex worker for several years.

Mr Pollock allegedly created fake invoices on his office computer, printed them off, had purchase orders prepared and authorised seven payments totalling $54,850.

It is also alleged that he prepared two further invoices for September and October totalling $13,530, but the CCC investigation stopped the payment.

“Ravensthorpe is not a wealthy shire. It put its trust in Mr Pollock to guide them well and do what is right, not spend its money on sexual pleasure,” the report said.

“He provided a lengthy explanation for his behaviour in answer to questions from counsel assisting the commission,.

“The primary motive was to allow Mr Pollock to experience a range of paid sexual experiences with [the sex worker] and others.

“Mr Pollock admitted the payments were for sexual services.”

Mr Pollock claimed that he ran the scheme as a support service to himself, using the sex worker as a sounding board.

“He engaged [the sex worker] to try assist him to get through issues and workload,” the CCC report says.

Mr Pollock was terminated from his position by the council last week, after having held the title of chief executive since February 2019, and following a long career in local government at Pingelly, Port Hedland, Chittering and Coolgardie.