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A SOUTHERN Downs teen involved in a lucrative internet scam told a court he was tricked into the scheme.
Police busted Malcolm O’Neill at a Rochedale South home on January 4 last year, after he allegedly teamed up with his co-accused on nine separate scams in 2019.
The Warwick Magistrates Court heard the 19-year-old helped with minor details of the fake ads and received a small amount of the victims’ money in return.
Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said the frauds were not O’Neill’s first dishonest crime, with a previous stealing offence on his criminal record.
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A SOUTHERN Downs man has claimed it was “pure desperation” that drove him to file a false insurance claim worth almost $30,000 as a means of covering his gambling debts.
Stan John Slabosz abandoned his family caravan on an isolated piece of land outside Warwick on August 5, then returned home and reported it as stolen with his insurer.
Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said the 64-year-old received a $28,375 payout.
The Warwick Magistrates Court heard the father-of-three needed the money to cover the gambling debts he’d accrued over the past five years, which were in excess of $30,000.
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Subscriber only A WARWICK man who stabbed his friend s elderly dog while in a meth-induced rage has avoided jail over the shocking attack. Corey Michael Hogden was armed with a knife when he broke into his family friend s Warwick home on May 12 last year. The Warwick Magistrates Court heard the 34-year-old was hearing voices after using crystal meth the day before, and was fixated on finding his friend s 17-year-old dog. Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said the Warwick man got inside the home and stabbed the elderly pet in the back, causing life-threatening muscle damage and bleeding. Hogden then threatened the dog s owner with the knife while screaming incoherently, before the other man chased him away with a metal bat.
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Subscriber only POLICE raids ended with these Warwick residents earning a date in court, after marijuana, methamphetamines, and more were found. Dustin Reece Yensch s home about 5.30pm on November 11. Text messages on the 20-year-old s phone revealed he supplied marijuana to his housemate a few days earlier. The Warwick Magistrates Court heard officers also found a used bong on the living room table. Defence lawyer Clare Hine said her client admitted to sometimes helping his friends obtain a very small amount of marijuana, though would be looking to turn over a new leaf in the future. Yensch pleaded guilty to one count each of supplying dangerous drugs and possessing drug paraphernalia.