Fraudster Patricia Anne McIntyre launches appeal against prison sentence after scamming renters out of $26,000

A fraudster who scammed “vulnerable” renters out of $26,000, forcing some victims into homelessness, has launched an appeal against her sentence.

Patricia Anne McIntyre has launched an appeal against her sentence after she was jailed for scamming renters out of $26,000.

A woman who was sentenced for scamming vulnerable renters out of $26,000 has launched an appeal against her “excessive” jail term.

Patricia Anne McIntyre obtained $26,000 from eight people between October 2020 and January this year, under the pretence of providing them with a rental property in Ilkley.

McIntyre’s victims were vulnerable and included a single dad of two who was then-unemployed, a woman who lost $19,000 and two brothers who found out about the scam the day they were due to move in.

Police prosecutor Nichale Bool told the court earlier this year that McIntyre charged some families $400 to view the property and used the Covid-19 induced rental crisis to claim the property was in high demand.

Ms Bool said the brothers were forced to live in a tent with their dogs for 40 days due to McIntyre’s offending and were “traumatised” after spending months jumping between camping areas.

McIntyre faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court earlier this year and pleaded guilty to 17 offences including eight charges of fraud – dishonestly obtaining property from another and three charges of uttering a forged document.

Magistrate Maxine Baldwin sentenced McIntyre in April and said the scam was “calculated and despicable”.

She sentenced McIntyre to two years in prison with parole release on September 14, after serving eight months, and eighty-nine days of pre-sentence custody was declared as time served.

She was ordered to pay a total of $26,110 in restitution to the victims.

A probation order given to her in September last year in Nambour Magistrates Court was revoked, and she was sentenced to six months in prison for four counts of fraud and one month for a stealing offence, with both suspended for three years.

McIntyre has now launched an appeal before the Maroochydore District Court against her sentence.

Defence barrister Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown, instructed by Lumme Rynderman Legal, appeared for McIntyre on Monday and submitted that the sentence was “excessive”.

Mr Ygoa-McKeown said he and his instructing team were appearing pro bono for McIntyre, who did not appear as she was in custody.

Mr Ygoa-McKeown said Ms Baldwin had not acknowledged McIntyre’s personal situation and history when making her decision, which led to an “error informed excessive sentence”.

He said Ms Baldwin should have referred to McIntyre’s traumatic and difficult childhood and her diagnoses of anxiety and depression.

He said these factors informed McIntyre’s “anti social” behaviour.

He also submitted that McIntyre’s efforts to seek therapy and prospects of rehabilitation were not considered.

However, Crown prosecutor Stipe Drinovac said that Ms Baldwin did acknowledge McIntyre’s history.

He said in Ms Baldwin’s sentencing remarks she referred to the “difficulties” McIntyre had faced in life.

Mr Ygoa-McKeown submitted McIntyre be given a new head sentence of 18 months and be released on immediate parole, having served six months.

“The hearing today is in the interest of justice,” he said.

Mr Drinovac said for the appeal to be allowed there needed to be an error and submitted that a two-year sentence was not excessive, given the offending and the precedent cases tendered at McIntyre’s sentence.

He also tendered letters from several of McIntyre’s victims, outlining how they were still affected financially and would benefit from the restitution order being upheld.

“Each of them would hold out hope of having some (compensation),” Judge Gary Long said.

(They would) Not wish to see such a possibility taken away.”

Judge Long said he would reach a decision over the coming days.