Fraudulent Facebook ads land Tura Beach man in court

Joshua Charles Staines, 30, fronted Eden Local Court on Wednesday, April 5, charged with one count of dishonestly obtaining advantage by deception, and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime.

The court heard the charges related to items advertised on various Facebook pages for which Staines - using false names - was found to have received payment but never provided the items.

Court documents outlined the items advertised included a King Charles Cavalier puppy and that Staines was the owner of a bank account into which a person had deposited $400 in order to purchase the puppy.

In relation to the proceeds of crime charge, court documents stated Staines received payments amounting to $8019 for items that were never provided, including a Maine Coon kitten, a shipping container and house plants.

In court this week, Staines entered guilty pleas to the two charges as well as to an unrelated breach of a community corrections order (CCO) imposed for a previous domestic violence matter.

His solicitor Ines Chiumento explained to the court that Staines "recognises his criminal history is against him", that his partner was due to give birth later this month and that he had "hung up his drug hat".

Magistrate Doug Dick explained to Staines that "AVO orders are there for a reason" and re-sentenced him to a CCO for 12 months as well as 50 hours of community service for the breach matter.

On the two fraud charges, Staines was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month intensive corrections order, under supervision by Community Corrections, as well as 150 hours of community service.

It was explained to him in court that this amounted to a prison sentence served in the community and that any further breaches would be dealt with by the Parole Board, not return to local court.

He was also ordered to pay $400 in compensation to the person who had sent him money for the purchase of the puppy.

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