Jayden Aaron Dickson (22) appeared before Judge John Brandts-Giesen in the Invercargill District Court yesterday for sentence on eight charges of obtaining money by deception between March 29 and April 27 last year.
Judge Brandts-Giesen said Dickson and his co-offender, who had entered pleas of not guilty, were in cahoots.
The co-offender used his name or others to sell non-existent shipping containers and forklifts via selling platforms.
The $31,500 proceeds of the sales were put into Dickson’s account, Dickson then transferring them into the co-offender’s bank account.
Victim impact statements from the victims told some "pretty sad stories of innocent people who could ill-afford to lose money after being deceived", Judge Brandts-Giesen said.
"I realise you probably got very little out of this, but how you can trust your co-offender in this way puzzles me because it must have been known to you that he didn’t have any containers or forklifts and that something must have put you on guard — and I think you turned a blind eye to it."
A pre-sentence report indicated Dickson had little remorse for his offending and that he was angry.
"You were angry at yourself for being so remarkably stupid," the judge said.
People relied on the trustworthiness of information on buying and selling platforms, Judge Brandts-Giesen said.
"You make it difficult for people to have such reliance by being part of this sort of activity," he said.
Dickson was sentenced to six months’ community detention and ordered to pay $15,750 in reparation.
If his co-offender was found not guilty of the allegations, it was possible Dickson would be sued for the balance of the money taken, Judge Brandts-Giesen said.
