Pensioner scammer brothers brought before court

Both men appeared in court on Friday.

Reenarto, left, and Charles Caston. Picture: The Northern Daily Leader

THE accused "fake tradie brothers" who stole nearly $70,000 from mostly elderly local victims have been committed for sentencing in Gympie District Court after previously entering guilty pleas.

Charles Jacob Caston (pictured, right) and Reenarto Caston sat alongside each other in the Gympie Magistrates Court yesterday to hear whether they would be sentenced.

The brothers' solicitors attempted to argue against the prosecution's submission that the court had inappropriate jurisdiction to sentence them, given the seriousness of their alleged offending.

READ MORE: Alleged fake tradie brothers remanded in custody

Magistrate Graham Hillan ruled he was not convinced the court could deal with the matters, and committed both men up to the District Court for sentencing on a date yet to be determined.

Elder brother Charles Caston previously pleaded guilty to five charges to be taken to the District Court, including dishonestly gaining some $69,200 between August 8 and 18 last year in Gympie.

The court heard he also attempted to dishonestly gain money and twice forge bank cheques on December 1 at Beenleigh, as well as dishonestly gain money elsewhere in Queensland on December 14.

He also pleaded guilty to a disqualified driving charge from January 8. He was stopped by police while driving a car with NSW registration plates near the Kybong Service Station.

His licence had previously been disqualified for six months in Noosa Magistrates Court on October 30 last year. He was banned from driving for a further two years and fined $1000 with a conviction recorded.

Reenarto Caston entered guilty pleas for dishonestly gaining some $69,200 from Gympie victims between August 8 and January 5, stealing fuel from Greenslopes in January 2016, dishonestly gaining money in January, and two counts of possessing tainted property at Pomona on January 9.

Both men's solicitors ordered briefs of evidence after the prosecution levelled one fresh charge at each man, one of fraud allegedly worth $21,500 for Reenarto and one of allegedly stealing $1500 for Charles.

Those matters were adjourned to the brothers' next court appearance on August 26, with the briefs ordered two weeks prior to that date.

Mr Hillan refused bail applications for the brothers proposed until their next appearances, deeming them an unacceptable risk of re-offending or failing to appear.