Conman Peter Foster arrested in Byron Bay while mother still on Gold Coast

RECAPTURED conman Peter Foster claims he’s been looking after his sick mother during his year as a fugitive. Now we’ve established the truth.

CONVICTED conman and captured fugitive Peter Foster has apologised to police for the “Rambo-style fiasco” of his dramatic arrest.

Foster – whose arrest on Tuesday on a property outside Byron Bay was filmed by a television crew – appeared in court yesterday wearing a hospital gown with a scratch down the side of his face.

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He claimed he had spent the past 11 months hiding out in northern NSW as a full-time carer for his sick mother – a claim police say is wrong.

Instead, The Courier-Mail can reveal his mother has been sighted at the family’s Sovereign Islands mansion on the Gold Coast enjoying the waterfront views.

Shortly after his arrest, Foster’s 83-year-old mother was seen having a cigarette near her front door.

Foster pleaded guilty to assaulting police and resisting arrest at Tweed Heads Local Court yesterday.

Tweed-Byron Local Area Command Superintendent Stuart Wilkins said despite claims made by the 52-year-old, there was no evidence his mother had ever lived at the Ewingsdale home.

In fact, the conman had been living at the sprawling five-bedroom, $1.3 million home with a male room-mate. The pair had put down a six-month deposit for the $1400-a-week luxury pad.

Police had known Foster was hiding out in the region but only pinpointed his location after a tip-off this week.

Foster’s solicitor Terry Fisher told the court his client had been living the life of a “monk” while looking after his sick mother in northern NSW.

In court, Mr Fisher said Foster’s mum had left the Ewingsdale residence on Monday to see a doctor.

Mr Fisher said Foster was happy to serve the 18-month sentence imposed on him by the Federal Court over action taken by the ACCC. Foster was transferred to Arthur Gorrie correctional facility in Brisbane.

Mr Fisher said Foster would have given himself up peacefully if Channel 9’s A Current Affair crew had not triggered a “Rambo-style fiasco” in which Foster was crashtackled and punched in the mouth.

After his court appearance, Foster shook hands and apologised to arresting officer Gary Sheehan.

Neighbour Sam Buckle said his girlfriend witnessed Foster’s arrest. “It was pretty damn crazy,” Mr Buckle said. “(My girlfriend) had only been home five or 10 minutes when the cops came running through the backyard and tackled what she described as a fat old guy in the yard.

“They handcuffed him under a tree and he collapsed on the ground, coughing and spluttering.”

Two framed photos on the wall of the house suggest it may have been the ­serial fraudster’s long-term hide­away.

The photos are of a horse called Little Bubulu, winning races in Victoria.

The horse’s owner is shown as Arabella Racing, of which Foster’s niece, Gold Coast socialite ­Arabella Foster, is listed as the sole director .