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Baldivis: man fined for claiming his car had been stolen after he crashed it

Gabrielle JefferyWeekend Kwinana Courier

A MAN who had an accident in his own car and then lied to police stating it had been stolen said it was because his girlfriend had cheated on him at the time.

Troy Stewart Orwin pleaded guilty and was fined $1200 for creating a false belief when he appeared at Rockingham Magistrates Court on September 15.

The prosecutor said officers received a phone call on July 6 at 3.11am from Orwin stating his car had been stolen from his address.

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After further inquiries police discovered that Orwin had gone to his girlfriends house in Baldivis earlier that night in very upset state as the relationship had ended.

After an argument Orwin got into his car and accelerated away and shortly after the girlfriend heard a large bang.

Police found his car on Eighty Road crashed into a fence.

The car was locked and there was no sign of damage to locks or the ignition barrel.

Representing himself, Magistrate Vivien Edwards asked Orwin if he agreed with the facts.

He said he ‘largely did, however they were still in a relationship at the time’.

He asked for a spent conviction citing work concerns and provided references to the Magistrate Edwards.

“They almost appear to be references for a job rather than a reference to these charges,” she said.

“Are these people aware of these charges?”

Orwin said some people were.

“It is important for me to have a spent conviction as I do shutdown work,” Orwin said.

“Some of these places could be gold mines or offshore work.”

Magistrate Edwards said Orwin had a previous record of dishonesty offences from 10 years ago.

Orwin said he had been granted spent convictions for all of his prior offences as they were more than 10 years old.

“This offence was a moment of madness; I was in love with this person and she was not a good influence on me,” he said.

Magistrate Edwards said Orwin did not accept responsibility for his behaviour.

“To put it to me that you’ve changed given the circumstances, I find that hard to believe,” she said.

“It sounds like you’re placing the blame on the other person.”

She fined him $1200 and denied Orwin a spent conviction.

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