Barry Glenn Simpson pleads guilty via phone call to deception, breaching bail agreement and owning unregistered car on road
A man falsely claimed to have lost his car in the Cudlee Creek bushfires and was consequently given a new one free, a court has heard. On Wednesday he pleaded guilty – over the phone while he said he was driving to hospital.
Adelaide Hills
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A man charged with falsely claiming to be a bushfire victim has pleaded guilty, via phone as he drove himself to hospital, during a bizarre court hearing.
On Wednesday, the Mount Barker Magistrates Court tracked Barry Glenn Simpson down over the phone after he failed to appear as scheduled.
The Pennington man, 59, was charged with counts of failing to comply with his bail agreement, owning an unregistered and uninsured vehicle on the road, and deceiving another to benefit self.
The charges arose from allegations that, in early January, Simpson falsely claimed to be a victim of the Cudlee Creek bushfire.
On Wednesday, Simpson did not appear in court in person but was represented by his lawyer, William Marsh.
A prosecutor alleged Simpson engaged in a conversation with a bus driver, where he claimed to have been a victim of the December 20 blaze.
He said Simpson falsely claimed to have lost vehicles to the fires - a deception that was captured on CCTV footage.
“He was looking to buy a new vehicle at which point the bus driver said ‘my mother has a vehicle that she is selling as she is 93 or 94 and she can no longer drive and she is selling it for about $1000’,” he said.
“So they then spoke on the phone together - the victim and the defendant - and he clarified that his vehicle was burned and that he needed to buy a car.
“A time and place was then arranged for handover, when she then volunteered that car for free as she felt sorry for him.
“In that interim, the victim’s son than advised her that he thinks that she’s being scammed and the police then became involved.”
Magistrate Teresa Anderson said Simpson’s absence was unsatisfactory and had court staff call him.
Over the phone, Simpson told the court he felt uncomfortable entering a plea because he was suffering from blood clots in his legs and was on his way to the hospital.
Ms Anderson, however, told Simpson the time had come to progress his case.
“I need to move on... are you pulled over at the moment... as I’m interested in getting something done about your files,” she said.
“Mr Marsh is here on your behalf and he is telling me that you are pleading guilty to the breach bail charges and to being the owner of an unregistered and uninsured car.
“He is telling me that you are pleading guilty to the breaches of bail on January 6, January 9, January 11 and January 16.
“I want to take all of your pleas now, do you plead guilty to all of these matters?”
Simpson replied that he was “not coping well”, but then entered guilty pleas to all of the charges.
Ms Anderson remanded him on continuing bail to face court again in November.