Craig Gore: Gold Coast tycoon in drink drive crash, may breach suspended sentence
Colourful Gold Coast tycoon Craig Gore, who was jailed for two years earlier this decade for fraud, may be sent back to the District Court in breach of his suspended sentence.
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A colourful Gold Coast tycoon who served two years’ hard time of a five-year head sentence earlier this decade for defrauding superannuation funds may have breached the partially suspended sentence by drink driving, a court has heard.
Mermaid Beach man Craig Kirrin Gore, 58, had his charge of mid-range drink driving heard in absentia in the Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday, May 8.
The court heard he was currently stranded overseas while dealing with a medical condition.
Mr Gore’s defence lawyer entered a guilty plea on his client’s behalf.
The offence occurred at about 4.10am on November 21 last year at Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise.
Police were notified of a hit-run collision involving a white Toyota LandCruiser being driven by Mr Gore, who failed to stop after the minor bingle.
Police were able to subsequently take up with Mr Gore, who returned a positive blood-alcohol reading of 0.114g. It’s understood he was not charged in relation to the crash.
The court was told Mr Gore had a two-page criminal history and three-page traffic history.
Mr Gore’s lawyer told the court his client had been drinking the night prior to the offence in celebration of successfully finishing a business deal.
Immediately prior to the offence, Mr Gore realised he had parked in a zone that would require his car to be moved, and so he “stupidly got up to move it”, the defence lawyer said.
The matter had nearly reached its conclusion when Magistrate Steve Wettenhall raised the issue of Mr Gore likely being in breach of a suspended sentence.
On November 26, 2020 at the Brisbane District Court, Mr Gore was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, suspended after serving two years, after being found guilty of defrauding $345,000 from a series of self-managed superannuation funds.
As the drink driving occurred within the period of the suspended sentence, Mr Gore is potentially liable to be recommitted back to the higher court for resentencing.
Such a move would require him to sign a new undertaking, which was not possible due to his being out of the country.
The charge was adjourned to July 31, with the file indicating Mr Gore intended to enter a plea of guilty.
The Gore name is a famous one on the Gold Coast: Mr Gore’s father, Mike Gore, rose to prominence via his development of Sanctuary Cove.
Mr Gore has held myriad business interests over the years, with operations in advertising, financial services, real estate investment, and property development.
He weathered several bankruptcies, but his fall from grace, which commenced in 2017 when he was arrested and charged with the aforementioned fraud, was swift.
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