Fraudster gets community detention

The fraudster told police he took tablet computers as payment for doing repairs on the victim's vehicle. Photo / File

A compulsive fraudster has been sentenced to community detention and ordered to pay reparations.

Benjamin James Gernhoefer, 28, of Masterton pleaded guilty earlier to charges of obtaining by deception and theft and appeared in Masterton District Court on Monday for sentencing.

According to the summary of facts, in July last year, Gernhoefer sold a Subaru Legacy station wagon for $800 but never delivered the vehicle.

He told police he took the $800 with the intention of delivering a vehicle to the victim but owed one of his associates money and gave the car to him as payment.

In December last year Gernhoefer was staying at a property in Waikato and stole two tablet computers while he was there.

He told police he said he had done repairs on the victim's ute for which he was not paid, so he took the tablets as payment.

Defence lawyer Ian Hard said Gernhoefer was not so much motivated by greed, but rather stupidity.

Judge Tom Broadmore said both of Gernhoefer's offences involved breaches of trust and dishonesty.

In relation to the tablets he said: "you rewarded them for their hospitality by stealing tablets".

He said it was not long ago that Gernhoefer served a term of imprisonment for offences of that kind.

He said Gernhoefer had shown remorse and motivation to avoid further offending and that it was possible Mr Gernhoefer's relationship and child would encourage him to lead a life which kept him out of jail, the judge said.

Gernhoefer was sentenced to three months' community detention and ordered to pay reparations of $800 and $250.