Luke Jack sentenced for identity theft

A Mount Gambier man has been released from custody after he was busted with hundreds of driver’s licences, medibank cards, 600 SIM cards and drugs inside a popular CBD hotel.

Luke Jack pleaded guilty to identity theft. Pic: Facebook

A Mount Gambier man who was trying to move to Queensland when he was caught with a number of fake IDs, has been released from custody.

Luke Anderson Jack, 38, pleaded guilty to a number of counts in the Port Adelaide Magistrate Court on Tuesday, including identity theft and possessing a controlled drug

The court heard Jack had checked into The Oaks hotel on Morphett Street in Adelaide, when the concierge noticed something “suspicious” when it came to the identification Jack had provided.

Luke Jack pleaded guilty to identity theft. Pic: Facebook

“The driver’s licence appeared to be printed,” said the police prosecutor.

“Police made inquiries before executing a warrant where they located two males in the room.”

The court heard police uncovered driver's licences, credit cards, medibank cards belonging to other people, 600 SIM cards, pay slips, electronic items as well as methamphetamine in the hotel room.

The court also heard Jack had driver’s licences with his face but with multiple different names.

Police searched through the electronic items where they located a file containing over 400 names, including the name he had used to check into the hotel.

Nick Thomson, defence counsel for Jack, submitted to the court his client had been transitioning out of a difficult time, hoping to leave his life in South Australia behind.

“He was unemployed, unable to obtain Centrelink … he went off the rails for a bit,” Mr Thomson said.

“He was in the throws up packing up his belongings and travelling back to Queensland.”

The court heard Jack had been unable to cope with “emotional burden” of ending a long-term relationship and turned to using methamphetamine.

In his sentencing remarks Magistrate Semmens said with the technology available these kind of matters were “occurring fairly regularly.”

“This type of information is readily available on places for purchase like the dark web,” Magistrate Semmens said.

“If you use other people’s details, you can cause great problems for them, you need to understand that.”

Jack was sentenced to one year, two months and three days with a non-parole period of six months.

The sentenced was backdated to April 6, 2022, the day the offending occurred.