An online scammer who deceived people into paying deposits for fake iPhones has been sentenced to community detention.
Justyn Rose-Anderson, an unemployed 22-year-old from Feilding, appeared in Masterton District Court on Wednesday having admitted to charges of theft, obtaining by deception, and unlawfully interfering with a motor vehicle.
Rose-Anderson had been in custody since July 28 after being arrested for fraudulent online listings.
He advertised a $500 iPhone online, asked people to pay a $250 deposit, and then cut off all communication with them after receiving it.
He did the same with a $620 iPad and another iPhone.
Rose-Anderson also stood guard outside Masterton McDonald’s while an accomplice went inside and stole $80 worth of goods.
Later, he caused $700 worth of damage to a car belonging to a young couple by trying to break into it.
All this offending was done while Rose-Anderson was still under post-release conditions, having previously spent one year and 11 months in prison for similar offending.
Probation said he did not engage with them after his release from prison.
When he appeared in court on Wednesday, he had $7500 of fines outstanding.
The only explanation Rose-Anderson offered the court for his continued offending was that his unemployment benefit did not provide him with enough money.
In their victim impact statement, the young couple who owned the damaged car said they were expecting a young baby and were extremely stressed about having their car damaged.
The couple said Rose-Anderson stole some items from the car with significant sentimental value to them – those items were not recovered.
Probation said that he did not show any remorse to the victims of the offending, but lawyer Ian Hard said that was not true.
“Sometimes, unfortunately, clients don’t engage fully with probation, but this young man has told me he is remorseful and would be willing to make some effort at reparation,” Hard said.
Hard noted that his client had spent two months in prison.
Rose-Anderson and his partner are expecting their first child. He said he wants to be there for the child rather than in prison.
Judge Barbara Morris said children look to their father as a mentor and that if he continues offending, his future child will also end up in the dock.
“You’ve got no money to repay the victims – the probation report said you have no remorse, but I accept that your lawyer said you are sorry.
Rose-Anderson was sentenced to six months community detention with a 6pm to 6am curfew and 18 months of intensive supervision with a requirement to attend certain programmes and to regularly check in with probation. Judge Morris wiped his fines and did not order any reparation to the victims.”
