Scammer will take 11 years to repay $8700
A scammer who pretended to sell car parts, vacuum cleaners and Nintendo Switch consoles through social media has been ordered to pay back more than $8700 to his victims.
But beneficiary Paul Sutton can afford only $15 a week in repayments — meaning it could take him more than 11 years to clear the debt.
Yesterday, Sutton appeared in the Hastings District Court for sentencing on 14 charges, including obtaining by deception, careless driving and breaching community work.
Judge Gordon Matenga sentenced him to eight months of home detention and disqualified him from driving for a year and a day.
Judge Matenga also imposed reparation orders totaling $8781.50 to compensate the people who had been scammed.
“It will take some time, but you need to pay back what you owe these people,” the judge said.
Defence counsel Eric Forster said Sutton was on a benefit and could afford to pay $15 a week.
Judge Matenga said that Sutton agreed to sell a car engine and transmission unit after receiving a Facebook message in April 2022.
He received $5400 through a bank transfer but the victim never received the engine or transmission, nor a refund.
In September and October 2023, Sutton was on Facebook Marketplace, this time offering to sell Dyson vacuum cleaners and Nintendo Switches for varying amounts from $230 to $500.
He provided his bank account details and received money but did not send the items.
Judge Matenga detailed trades for six vacuums and three consoles. The careless and drink-driving charges related to a truck crash on State Highway 2 near Mohaka in November 2022. Sutton was driving.
The court was told that the truck drifted off the road on a moderate bend, then swerved, collided with a barrier and tipped on to its side.
Sutton was taken to hospital where a blood test showed 119 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal blood alcohol limit is 50mg.