A woman who lost $750 in a dodgy Facebook deal is getting her money back.
Huatahi Robert Tawhana, 30, pleaded guilty to obtaining by deception when he appeared in the Whanganui District Court yesterday.
In the police summary of facts it said that in May last year Tawhana advertised a Samsung S7 Edge cellphone on Facebook and agreed to sell it to a woman for $750.
The woman paid the money but never received the phone.
Police Prosecutor sergeant Drew Morrison said Tawhana sent the victim his partner's bank account number.
"The victim deposited the money into the bank account in two separate payments."
Mr Morrison said Tawhana then sent a photo of the parcel with the victim's name on it to suggest it was being sent.
"Tawhana didn't message the victim back even after numerous messages sent from the victim to him....the phone was never sent. "
Mr Morrison said Tawhana told police that he was suppose to send it but never did.
Judge Dugald Matheson convicted Tawhana and ordered him to pay the money back to the victim, $50 each week.
Judge Matheson said that Tawhana had done jail time for two burglary charges last year and if this deception charge had been tied up with that it wouldn't have made much of a difference to that end sentence.
"I really think to dredge back to history would not be just and I would rather have the victim reimbursed."