April 30, 2010

Fraudster's 'low' offending against elderly victims

By Mike Anstee

A Christchurch man who posed as a police officer, bank manager, and telecom engineer to defraud elderly victims was sentenced to a five years imprisonment at Christchurch District Court today.

Lachlan Patrick Irvine, 30, faced 35 charges ranging from burglary to theft. He had targeted clients from his former Meals on Wheels delivery route. Using a variety of fake personas, he would deceive his victims into giving him confidential financial information.

These included impersonating a police officer claiming to be investigating the illegal use of his victim?s bank accounts.

Irvine?s offences also included commercial and residential burglaries.

Defence counsel Shannon-Leigh Litt told the court that Irvine?s dependence on drugs had driven the offending. A three year period of sobriety had ended after Irvine had lost his partner, his accommodation, and had suffered the death of his nephew. At the time the offences occurred, Irvine estimated his habit was costing him $1400 to $2100 a week.

She added Irvine had attempted to enter a residential rehabilitation scheme since his arrest but was unable to secure a place. He had also written apology letters to his victims.

The crown submitted that Irvine had deliberately selected the most vulnerable members of community through his meals on wheels job and added that the effect on his victims has been profound, ?in many cases robbing them of what little independence they had?.

Judge Michael Crosbie read the details of several of Irvine?s offences to the court before delivering imposing sentence. He also mentioned items of sentimental value that Irvine had stolen including one victim?s childhood rosary beads and the army certificate and effects of another victim?s late husband.

He added that victim impact reports had made for ?extremely salutary reading? and praised the courage of those of Irvine?s victims that had gathered in the public gallery to see him sentenced.

?This was cruel, callous and pre-meditated offending?, he said. ?It?s about as calculated as it gets. Your victims are of a trusting generation but you have provided them with an example of which way society is going. This is a real illustration of how low someone can go.?

Irvine was sentenced to concurrent prison terms totalling five years.