Sunshine Coast tradie fined for defrauding Palmview locals

A tradie who took more than $4000 from his customers after promising to build them a fence has been sentenced for the deception. Read the magistrate’s warning.

A young Sunshine Coast tradie who defrauded his customers after promising to build a fence has been ordered to repay his debt or face jail time.

Charles Antony Meaclem, 28, pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on September 1, 2022, to fraud.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable David Hoffman said two Palmview neighbours who needed a boundary fence repaired had paid Meaclem $4450 in total to get the job done in August, 2021.

Constable Hoffman said Meaclem had then deceived the two customers, who had paid $2225 each to him, through various email and text messages stating the job would be done.

“The defendant has outlined the money has been transferred, when that deception has been uncovered he continues to be deceptive,” he said.

“Some of the dishonesty included when he was apprehended by the police he continued to say he was paying them back.”

Sunshine Coast tradie Charles Antony Meaclem pleaded guilty to fraud. Picture: Aisling Brennan

Meaclem told the court he had nearly $3000 in savings which he intended to use to repay the money to the complainants.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist fined Meaclem $500 and ordered him to repay the complainants within three months or face a possible 120 days in prison.

“Fraudsters seem to be unable to resist reoffending, but you don’t have any previous so hopefully it’s not the start of a fraud career,” Mr Stjernqvist said.

No convictions were recorded.