At 15 Erin Leighton was given drugs and indecently touched by serial fraudster Paul Bennett and a woman who can’t be named. Sixteen years on they have now
He said he spoke on the phone to the seller, who identified himself as John, and agreed to pay $2650 for the bike and delivery. The buyer was later emailed bank account details from someone called Susan, who said they were John’s partner. He said he spoke to Susan by phone, and she told him they planned to use the money for specialist cancer treatment for their son. The motorcycle never arrived and “John and Susan” could not be reached again. Wright said she never spoke to anyone on the phone regarding the motorcycle sale. She claimed it must have been Bennett pretending to be a woman.
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Fraudster Paul Bennett loses legal battle against removal from Australia to New Zealand
4 Feb, 2021 11:48 PM
3 minutes to read
Paul James Bennett and his ex-wife Simone Anne Wright. Photo / Supplied
A fraudster and former fugitive has failed in a long-running legal fight against his removal from Australia to New Zealand where he was wanted on criminal charges.
Paul James Bennett, a 57-year-old with several aliases including Dennis Kite, David Kite, and James Lochead, was arrested as he sailed into Sydney Harbour after crossing the Tasman Sea from Northland on a crippled yacht in February 2015.
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He was later removed from the country and sent back to New Zealand – where he is a citizen - and charged with dozens of charges alleging that he used documents dishonestly and without claim of right to obtains hundreds of thousands of dollars.