Ben James Butler sent to prison for online fraud

A Sunshine Coast man “understands he needs to change” after pleading guilty to 18 fraud offences just months after he was granted parole.

Ben James Butler pleaded guilty to 18 offences including fraud and stealing.

A Sunshine Coast online fraudster has been sentenced to more than a year behind bars after he continued defrauding people within months of being granted parole for “almost identical” offending.

Ben James Butler, 33, appeared in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on video link on Tuesday, July 4 where he pleaded guilty to 18 offences including fraud and stealing.

Police prosecutor Sergeant David Hoffman told the court Butler had an extensive criminal history involving fraud and dishonesty, using online marketplaces such as Gumtree to target victims.

“The last sentence he received is almost identical in terms of how it relates to fraudulent transactions online selling property or obtaining property and obtaining money without delivering those products,” Sergeant Hoffman said.

Sergeant Hoffman told the court it was clear Butler’s actions were premeditated and he was clearly targeting victims.

Defence solicitor Eleanor Meany told the court Butler was released on parole on August 31, 2022 and spent time in a rehabilitation facility for his addiction to methamphetamine before being kicked out for drinking alcohol.

Ms Meany told the court Butler “understands that he needs to change”.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist told the court Butler was quick to reoffend when he was released on parole for his previous fraud charges, describing his criminal history as “deplorable”.

“You are 33 years old with a deplorable history of dishonesty,” Mr Stjernqvist said.

“There is a significant consideration to the affect your offending has on the members of the community that needs to be protected from this sort of offending.”

Mr Stjernqvist told the court Butler had been provided a number of chances in relation to past fraud offences.

“Issues to do with rehabilitation, that has been said before and you messed that up and you’re already telling Ms Meany that you intend, when you are released, to go back to rehabilitation but to not do that would obviously see you in custody for a long time,” Mr Stjernqvist said.

Mr Stjernqvist sentenced Butler to 15 months’ imprisonment with a parole eligibility date of September 5, 2023.