Darren McDonald, 56, fined and convicted for improper use of defence service decoration

A former Portarlington RSL president has been convicted and fined for faking his war medals after wearing those of a dead friend, but veterans gathered outside court wanted jail time.

Former Portarlington RSL president Darren McDonald has been charged and will face the Geelong Magistrates Court. Photo: Supplied.

A former Portarlington RSL president has been convicted and fined for faking his war medals after wearing those of a dead friend, but veterans gathered outside court wanted jail time.

Darren McDonald, 56, pleaded guilty in the Geelong Magistrates Court to the improper use of a defence service decoration after his bid for diversion was rejected on Wednesday.

His lawyer, Mel Cox, told the court McDonald “deeply regrets” wearing his friend’s medals.

“He can no longer show his face in public,” Ms Cox said.

“He has faced intimidation, harassment and lost long term friends over this.”

The Portarlington resident wore an all black ensemble to court and spent the majority of the proceedings looking at the floor.

Other veterans in court were instructed to sit away from McDonald.

The court heard McDonald borrowed the medals from a deceased friend and that he has now returned the medals to that friend’s family.

McDonald served 10 years in the Australian Defence Force, joining when he was 17 in 1989.

He worked for three years as a recruit instructor and spent his remaining seven years working in transport before being medically discharged from the military.

In this time, he did not receive the UN Cambodia UNTAC Medal, an Australian Active Service Medal with clasp, Australian Service Medal with Clasp and a Long Service Medal with two clasps that he wore on several occasions, including on Anzac Day last year.

Ms Cox applied for diversion on behalf of McDonald, which is a way for low level offenders to avoid a criminal record by undertaking conditions that benefit the victim and community.

Judicial registrar Micheal Bolte rejected this bid for diversion citing he “did not accept it was low level offending”.

McDonald plead guilty to faking the service medals.

“To present false service medals is completely disrespectful to current and past servicemen and women,” he said.

McDonald then pleaded guilty to the charge in front of Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge.

The court heard a letter of recommendation from a retired sergeant major, a letter from RSL Victoria and medical records were tendered to the court by McDonald’s defence.

Mr Lethbridge deemed the improper use of wearing the medals as “deliberate, dishonest and criminal behaviour”.

He convicted McDonald and fined him $2500.

The maximum penalty for this charge was up to six months imprisonment.

President of the Aussie Veterans Association, Dave Menz, who started to investigate Mr McDonald after hearing allegations he had been wearing medals that he was not entitled to, said he wanted jail time for McDonald.

Veterans gathered outside of court on Wednesday.

“He stole my service, he did not serve, he was not shot at in Cambodia,” he said.

“He should have been sent to jail to send a message to any other medal cheats.

“He is only remorseful because he got caught.”

Mr Menz said he wanted an apology from McDonald.

“He should have apologised in court, he should have stood up like a man and apologised,” Mr Menz said.

“It wouldn’t have made it go away but it would have at least shown remorse.”

Other veterans also joined Mr Menz in court to show their anger over McDonald’s deceit.

Originally published as Darren McDonald, 56, fined and convicted for improper use of defence service decoration