Man’s family turns up in court to offer support as he is sentenced over five-day spending spree on stolen card

Finding a purse in a cab, Bundaberg man Mark Alan Murdoch could have handed it over to the driver. Instead, he used a card from within it to pay for his ride - the first of 53 transactions he’d make in a five-day spending spree.

Mark Alan Murdoch.

When Bundaberg father Mark Alan Murdoch found a purse in a taxi, he used the card inside it to pay for the ride, as well as a five-day, $3375.12 fraud spree.

Family and friends appeared in court to show their support for the dad of four, who was charged with one count of stealing and 53 counts of fraud.

A letter from Murdoch’s former partner - the mother of three of his children - was also given to Magistrate Andrew Moloney, attesting to his good character and behaviour as a father.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Dean Burgess argued for actual jail time, saying given Murdoch’s criminal history, his offending had been consistent.

“He has a fairly lengthy history, he’s 35 years of age... (his offending) is persistent and consistent and there’s a detriment, a $3000 detriment that’s been caused...,” he told the court, noting Murdoch’s prior history of offending which included jail time.

The defendant's lawyer, Matt Maloy, told the court his client’s most recent offence was an opportunistic one.

“He got into a cab, he found a card and the first time he used the card was to pay for the cab he was in at the time,” he said.

Mr Maloy said his client had battled issues with methamphetamine, but said since starting a new relationship he had been turning his life around and hadn’t offended for about 12 months.

Magistrate Moloney noted Murdoch’s offending had been opportunistic and nonviolent, but said the victim of the crime would have still felt violated knowing someone had been using her bank card for 53 purchases over five days at businesses in the region.

He noted the support of Murdoch’s family, including his former partner’s letter, and the impact of Murdoch’s struggles with illicit drugs on his offending.

“You have previously had a problem with methamphetamine and your criminal history would show that you have been committed and been sentenced for serious offences including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, stealing, drug offences and failing to appear,” Magistrate Moloney told the court on Monday.

“You have served periods of imprisonment and been handed suspended sentences previously.”

Magistrate Moloney labelled the spate of offences a “spree”, while noting Murdoch’s recent good behaviour.

“You offered to pay restitution... you’d be in a better situation if some of that restitution had already been paid or sitting in a trust account ready to be paid to someone, but I do take it as a genuine offer and a sign of your remorse,” Magistrate Moloney said.

“With your history though and breaching orders, a suspended sentence is appropriate in my view.”

Murdoch was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment for each offence, to be served concurrently, with immediate parole.

He must pay $3375.12 restitution, deferred to SPER.