David Reginald Degenaro found guilty of dishonest dealing with documents after campervan scam

A pensioner who attempted to sell two campervans which didn’t exist embarked in the $70,000 scam under instruction from his overseas virtual partner, a court has heard.

A Port Pirie pensioner has dodged jail time after attempting to scam two separate victims out of nearly $70,000 by buying mobile homes which didn’t exist.

David Reginald Degenaro, 68, pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonestly dealing with documents after attempting to cash in “fraudulent” cheques for a $37,000 campervan and a $40,000 motorhome, the Port Augusta District Court heard.

During sentencing Judge Gordon Barrett told the court Degenaro had used a false name in the process of luring two separate victims into making the purchases.

“In each case there was, in fact, no vehicle to sell,” Judge Barrett said.

David Degenaro tried to sell non-existent mobile homes in an effort to send money to someone he was in a virtual relationship with, a court heard.

“In each case you induced the prospective purchasers to draw bank cheques for the purchase price on the promise that you would deliver the vehicles to the purchasers.

Judge Barrett then told the court that fraudulent copies of the cheques were subsequently presented to two separate banks in an attempt to get the money.

“In the case of the first cheque there is a record that the bank paid out the funds but I have been told that is unclear and so it may be that either those funds were not paid out or they have been recovered,” Judge Barrett said.

“In the second case the bank suspected fraud and refused to process the transaction.”

Judge Barrett told the court Degenaro was acting “under instruction” from a person he met online who he was in a virtual relationship with and he anticipated getting a financial reward for his dishonesty.

“I am to sentence you on the basis that you are not the architect of this offending,” Judge Barrett said.

“You had begun communicating online with a person who described themselves as Debra Williams and who claimed to be a childless 38-year-old woman living in Miami.

“You had been communicating with this person for some two or three years and you imagined yourself to be in a sort of virtual relationship with this person.”

The prosecution agreed records showed Degenaro’s online contact was the instigator of the offences.

Judge Barrett took into account Degenaro’s guilty plea when sentencing.

Degenaro was given a reduced sentence of two years and five months with a non-parole period of one year, eight months.

Degenaro’s lawyer asked for his prison sentence to be suspended, which was granted by Judge Barrett.

Degenaro will enter a $1000 good behaviour bond for three years, with one year under the supervision of a Community Corrections officer.