Ipswich tradie Joshua Kenneth Burwell sentenced for $5000 extortion of client

A tradie’s minor dispute with a client over a piece of furniture has landed him a jail sentence. A court heard he made wild threats to tarnish the reputation of his client’s daughter.

A tradie’s minor dispute with a client over a piece of furniture landed him with a jail sentence, after a court heard he made wild threats to tarnish the reputation of his client’s daughter.

An Ipswich tradie has faced court for extorting one of his clients out of $5000 with a “heat of the moment” threat to tarnish her daughter’s reputation.

North Ipswich’s Joshua Kenneth Burwell, 34, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on June 7 to one count of extortion (demand with intent to gain benefit with threat of detriment).

The court heard Burwell had been refurbishing a piano stool for the victim, a woman in her 60s.

After Burwell had been worked on it for some time the woman asked for it back, but Burwell told her it was still unfinished.

She collected it from his house on December 10, 2021.

Judge William Everson said Burwell then texted the woman in the early hours of morning the next day, claiming she had told him that her daughter was using drugs.

In the text messages, the court heard Burwell threatened the woman that he would tell her daughter’s boss about her claims.

Judge Everson said the woman offered Burwell a small sum of money and access to tools so that he could continue his work.

However, the court heard Burwell refused and demanded $5000.

She paid soon after, before notifying police.

Judge Everson noted the $5000 represented a “substantial portion of (the victim’s) life savings” and that the offending had a significant emotional impact on her as well.

Crown prosecutor Hamish McIntyre said although Burwell had betrayed his client, the fact he had not made any physical threats weighed in his favour.

Defence barrister Dan Boddice said his client was willing to repay the $5000.

He was remorseful as he now understood the true impact his actions had had upon the victim.

“He really can’t quite articulate why he made such a request, other than that is was in the heat of the moment,” Mr Boddice said.

He said Burwell had changed his life since the offending, achieving his long-term goal of gaining full custody of his 11-year-old son.

Mr Boddice said Burwell was now “extremely motivated to be a proactive and good role model for his son moving forward”.

Judge Everson said Burwell had a relatively minor criminal history, with the most recent entry being for drug possession in February, 2022.

He sentenced Burwell to nine months’ jail, wholly suspended for 18 months.

Burwell was also ordered to pay $5000 in compensation to the victim.