SPENDING SPREE: Danny Rada has been ordered to pay back $12,000 in fraudulent purchases.
SPENDING SPREE: Danny Rada has been ordered to pay back $12,000 in fraudulent purchases. Ross Irby

Fraudster buys $500 penis pump in credit splurge

A MAN who ripped off a former client's credit card to the tune of $12,387 has been ordered to repay the debt within six months or go to jail.

An Ipswich court heard Danny Rada blew the money on items including a computer, electric drill, 65-inch television, online dating site membership, plane tickets and a penis pump sex toy.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Dave Shelton said other items included a kettle and toaster, lawn trimmer and mower, and the Game of Thrones TV series.

After hearing the full details of the fraud, magistrate Virginia Sturgess slammed Rada's actions as being motivated by nothing more than "greed".

Danny John Victor Rada, 26, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court to committing $12,387 in fraud at Cannonvale, near Airlie Beach, between September 27 and October 30 last year.

Snr Cnst Shelton said Rada committed 13 fraudulent transactions within four weeks using the credit card of a 75-year-old man.

Rada obtained the card while employed as a property manager with a real estate agency, with the understanding that it was to be used for any repair work being carried at the complainant's investment property.

He said Rada was given permission by the man in July 2018 to make some purchases to update the property.

The court was told, however, that Rada left the company before committing the frauds.

In October the man received a bank statement detailing multiple unauthorised transactions totalling $12,386.83.

The matter was first reported to Whitsunday police in March.

Snr Cnst Shelton said items included $195 spent on a shaver, $399 for a drone, $501 to buy a penis pump sex toy, and $538.35 for Jetstar flights.

The court was told Rada was interviewed and made admissions to using the credit card, claiming he had been given consent to buy whatever he wanted.

Defence lawyer Yasser Khan said Rada instructed there had been an agreement over his use of the card and because of the work he was doing had been entitled to some benefit.

Rada had also tried to resolve the matter through mediation with the owner.

"He accepts it was an excessive use of the card. He instructs that he had quite a good relationship with the card owner," Mr Khan said.

"He had hoped to apologise personally. He will ultimately pay the money back and is very remorseful for his conduct."

Mr Khan outlined personal difficulties in Rada's life at the time, including a relationship breakdown, saying that "he was not in a good head space".

Rada went on a downward spiral, resigned his job then succumbed to temptation making the purchases but stopped of his own accord, the court was told.

Rada had sought professional help and counselling, Mr Khan said.

Mr Khan sought that no conviction be recorded to allow Rada not to lose his new job so he can continue working to earn the money to pay his victim back.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess made it clear to the court that she had some difficulty in justifying not recording a conviction given the seriousness of the offence.

Ms Sturgess detailed the long list of items fraudulently purchased.

"There is nothing about these items to suggest it was need. It is absolutely related to greed," she said.

"Basically you went to town for a month. It was all greed, and nothing else.

"I have little sympathy for your plight and you have not paid anything back.

"It was a significant breach of trust."

Despite expressing her misgivings about not recording a conviction, Ms Sturgess said she had to take into account the Sentences Act and any impact the conviction would have on his employment prospects. She decided not to record the conviction.

Rada was sentenced to complete 180 hours of unpaid community service work, and ordered to repay the money within six months.

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