A MAN of no fixed address was jailed on Tuesday for identity fraud offences after he booked a motel room with a stolen credit card.
Peter North, 41, appeared via video-link in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court and was sentenced to five months and 12 days imprisonment.
The prosecution said North contacted a local motel to make a booking under a false name, using a stolen credit card matching the identity.
When the card was declined he made the booking again using another card under a different name.
He told the business it was his boss’ credit card.
However, the owner of the credit card – who lived in Queensland – later contacted police after realising it had been used to book the motel in Mount Gambier.
Enquiries revealed the owner of the card did not know the defendant and that it had been stolen.
Police attended the motel and located the defendant in unlawful possession of four credit cards.
The prosecution said they also found a provisional licence, which matched the fake identity on the first credit cards.
However, the picture on the provisional licence matched the defendant’s description.
They also found documents, which showed identity fraud.
The defendant’s lawyer said the client used the cards to try book the motel after he had an argument with his partner.
Magistrate Teresa Anderson said North’s actions were a “very deliberate” attempt to commit fraud.
She advised him to learn “very quickly” that it is serious offending to commit fraud.
He will spend five months and 12 days behind bars.
