Joshua William Thorpe pleads guilty to fraud offences

A former software company boss has been jailed after he defrauded several small businesses on the Sunshine Coast by selling goods they never received.

Joshua William Thorpe. Photo: LinkedIn

A former company director who defrauded Sunshine Coast small businesses with promises of delivering software was pressured by thousands of dollars of debt.

Joshua William Thorpe appeared in Maroochydore Magistrates Court via video link on April 11 and pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud and one count of stealing.

The court heard he was the director of a computer software company and defrauded nine small businesses on the Sunshine Coast between September, 2022 and March, 2023.

Police prosecutor Jeanette Grigoris said these businesses included Club Beerwah RSL, Sum Yung Guys, the Post Office Bar, Pier 33 and Gmaxx Activewear.

In total, Thorpe defrauded the businesses of $10,000.

Defence lawyer Emily Dring told the court Thorpe was in debt and was the director of Creative Point of Sales at the time of the offending.

She said Thorpe was first hired in 2016 by Creative Point of Sales and from 2020 onwards had become the director of the company.

The court heard he was approached by the company’s former directors with an offer of sale and he signed a contract to pay $600,000 within two years.

Ms Dring said the business became less profitable, and Thorpe began struggling with the repayments in the last quarter.

Towards the end of 2020, the supplier providing for Thorpe’s company closed their trading account and he began “selling products without there being any products to sell” whilst looking for a new supplier, Ms Dring told the court.

He then transferred the profits into his own account, the court heard.

Magistrate Matthew Mclaughlin said the offending only stopped when the police contacted him.

Ms Dring told the court her 33-year-old client is now on a carer’s pension to take care of his father and hopes to begin a degree in social studies upon release.

Thorpe was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment with a parole release date of August 1, 2024.

His 70 days in pre-sentence custody were declared as time served and convictions were recorded.

No restitution was ordered in consideration Thorpe did not have the capacity to pay.