Lumina Group’s Bradley Elliott accused of deception and wage theft

A solar panel company boss accused of tricking clients out of nearly $2m is facing arrest and a huge fine after missing two court dates in one day.

A solar panel company operator is facing court accused of deceiving clients out of $1.86 million – while his former employee wants a tribunal to fine him $450,000 for stealing $24,000 in wages.

Bradley Elliott is being pursued by both a court and a tribunal over his dealings as the operator of Lumina Group between 2017 and 2019.

On Monday, the Adelaide Magistrates Court issued an arrest warrant for Mr Elliott for allegedly failing to perform $1.86 million of work for which he was contracted.

At the same time, the SA Employment Tribunal sought to enforce its finding that Mr Elliott stole $24,000 in wages, superannuation and entitlements from an employee.

Andrew Wright, for the employee, asked the tribunal also fine Mr Elliott $450,000 – just shy of the $500,000 maximum penalty allowed for wage theft.

“The issue appears to be some sort of evasiveness in terms of serving our applications, and the orders of the court, upon Mr Elliott,” he said.

The tribunal’s deputy president, Judge Miles Crawley, said that should not concern the employee.

“It doesn’t matter if Mr Elliott is hiding under a desk or off doing business, that doesn’t prevent effective service (of the papers) from being made,” he said.

“I do mean that in a joking sense – I’m not suggesting he is hiding under a desk.”

In the Magistrates Court, Mr Elliott, 43, of Woodlane, has yet to plead to three counts of deception.

He was arrested in December by detectives from SA Police’s Serious and Organised Financial Crime Investigation Section.

They allege that, between December 2017 and September 2019, he accepted work and money from two clients in exchange for solar systems he never purchased nor installed.

On Monday, Mr Elliott did not attend court – Magistrate Justin Wickens issued a warrant for his arrest and excluded him from being granted police bail.

Mr Elliott also did not attend the Employment Tribunal on Monday, and its hearing proceeded in his absence.

Mr Wright told Judge Crawley that, in December last year, another judge had awarded his client $24,000 in lost wages – but that debt had yet to be paid.

He said Mr Elliott had previously been fined $15,600 over failing to pay a different employee $16,310 in superannuation contributions.

“We see recidivism as a concern and a consideration in penalty, and suggest that the penalty be greater as a result of Mr Elliott’s recidivism,” he said.

Judge Crawley said he would adjourn the matter one final time, until next month, to allow Mr Elliott to appear “if he wishes”.

“I’m not expecting anyone to turn up, based on past performance, but we will see how it goes,” he said.