Scott Cormack jailed for unlawful use of cars, petrol drive-off

A man with criminal records in many Australian states has had historical offences catch up with after he became ill and returned to Central Queensland to be near family.

Scott Cormack, 44, swindled one of his own friends, and jerked around staff from two different vehicle hire companies in two years.He was eventually found and arrested at Rockhampton Hospital on February 12, pleading guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court two days later to three unlawful use of motor vehicle charges, along with a fail to appear in court and a fuel drive off charge.

A man with criminal records in many Australian states has had historical offences catch up with after he became ill and returned to Central Queensland to be near family.

Scott Cormack, 44, swindled one of his own friends, and jerked around staff from two different vehicle hire companies in two years.

He was eventually found and arrested at Rockhampton Hospital on February 12, pleading guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court two days later to three unlawful use of motor vehicle charges, along with a fail to appear in court and a fuel drive off charge.

Police prosecutor Mirren Smith said Cormack’s friend had purchased a silver Mazda for his daughter and was in the process of getting it roadworthy before filing transfer of ownership papers with the Department of Main Roads.

She said Cormack offered to do these things while the victim was at work in Maryborough on January 18, 2019, even emailing the victim a roadworthy certificate before changing his phone number and cutting contact with the victim.

Ms Smith said when the victim tracked Cormack down via phone seven days later, the defendant still refused to tell him where the car was located.

She said a week later, the victim attended Cormack’s address finding the defendant had moved.

Police confirmed with two witnesses that Cormack had left town in the silver Mazda.

Almost 2.5 years later, Cormack rented a Mitsubishi Pajero through a hire company in Emerald for one day but he failed to return it despite many requests from the company.

It was located by police five days later, abandoned and damaged parked 10kms outside Mount Isa on the Boulia Mount Isa Highway.

Ms Smith said the hire company repeatedly contacted Cormack about the vehicle and he provided “implausible explanations” for the vehicle not being returned.

“The defendant texted a blurred image of a credit card which was illegible and an obvious act by the defendant to avoid making payment,” she said.

Cormack was also captured on CCTV doing a fuel drive-off in the Pajero.

Three months later, Cormack hired a vehicle from the Rockhampton Airport for one day but did not return it.

Staff contacted Cormack who said he needed the vehicle longer and permitted them to charge his card for the extra time, however, those attempts to gain payment from his card on file were unsuccessful.

The car was reported stolen and Cormack then texted them saying the vehicle was at the Mount Isa airport.

Cormack had a four-page Queensland criminal record and many records in other states.

Defence lawyer Samantha Legrady said Cormack, who Has epilepsy, had returned to Rockhampton two to three weeks prior to his arrest as he was ill and wanted to be close to family.

Cormack was sentenced to nine months in prison and released on parole immediately.