Central Qld horse breaker Keenya Samual Noel Lamb gets jail sentence for fraud

A Central Queensland court has heard that the offence was a “unique fraud” that occurred in “an unusual set of circumstances.”

A generic photo of stockmen.

A Central Queensland contractor and horse breaker has been given a jail sentence after pleading guilty to a “unique fraud” where he stole $6000 from his employer.

The fraud victim discovered the crime after he found insufficient funds in his bank account and his checkbook missing.

The investigation uncovered a bad relationship between the victim and a different former employee who was linked to the fraud crime that led to Keenya Samual Noel Lamb receiving the prison term.

Lamb, 42, pleaded guilty in on January 12 in Biloela Magistrates Court to fraud.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Ongheen said the informant in this matter was Lamb’s employer, who used a cheque book account for his business purposes.

Sergeant Ongheen said Lamb had previously worked for the informant as a contractor on rural properties.

The court heard that on April 7, 2021, the informant went to his bank at Stockland Rockhampton and attempted to withdraw cash from an automatic teller machine.

The ATM subsequently advised the informant that he had insufficient funds in his account, and he then went inside the branch to speak to a staff member because he knew the funds should have been in the account.

Sergeant Ongheen said the informant, after leaving the bank, went back to his car and looked in the glove box where his cheque book was stored, but it was missing.

He then reported this to police.

In relation to this matter, Sergeant Ongheen said a cheque had been made out to Lamb for $6000.

On July 18, 2021, Lamb went to Rockhampton Police Station and participated in an interview.

During that interview, Lamb said he and another man had been working for the informant in December 2020.

“(Lamb said) on one occasion, (the other man) had returned and said that he refused to work for the informant any longer,” Sergeant Ongheen said.

“(The other man) then packed up his belongings and left.

“About three months later, the defendant met up with (the other man) at the Stockland shopping complex.

“The defendant stated that (the other man) told him that (the informant) ‘would pay for what he had done’.

“(The other man) then handed the defendant a cheque for $6000 stating it was payment for a vehicle purchased several years prior from the defendant.

“The defendant stated that he observed the cheque belonged to (the informant) and acknowledged that the signature on the cheque did not appear to be (the informant’s).

“He stated he believed that (the other man) had taken the cheque from (the informant) as a result of a grievance between the two.”

Sergeant Ongheen said Lamb had attended a bank at Stockland Rockhampton and deposited the cheque into his account.

The prosecution tendered Lamb’s criminal history which included fraud at Oakey in 2016.

Solicitor Pierre Lammersdorf said Lamb was a father of three who worked as a full-time contractor and also did horse breaking.

“Regarding his history that was tendered, Your Honour will see that he has had numerous convictions in the past, but those are quite dated now,” Mr Lammersdorf said.

“My client instructs me that he used to be mixing with bad crowds, particularly during his time down in Toowoomba, but he’s moved away and has attempted to turn his life around since.”

Mr Lammersdorf said the offence Lamb was now before the court for was a serious matter but it was “an unusual set of circumstances.”

“Money was given by a disgruntled employee to my client - my client should have known better at the time of taking the money,” Mr Lammersdorf said.

“But it wasn’t the case, Your Honour, that my client has undertaken a big cover-up fraud by stealing from his employer.

“But he knew that the relationship between the employer and... the other employee, was problematic, and on that basis Your Honour, he should not have taken the money.”

Mr Lammersdorf told Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale that Lamb had the money with him in court to pay the full amount of restitution.

“Which in my respectful submission, Your Honour, is a relevant factor in mitigation and it shows his genuine remorse and wanting to correct that wrong.

“Thankfully the complainant will not be left out of pocket.”

Ms Beckinsale said it was a “unique fraud” where Lamb had been presented with an opportunity to steal the $6000.

“It is so unfortunate that you gave into that temptation,” she said.

“You cannot afford to be opportunistic in a dishonest way when you have the history that you have.”

Ms Beckinsale sentenced Lamb to 15 months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of three years.

Restitution of $6000 was ordered to be paid by close of business on January 12.

A conviction was recorded.