Byron Bay woman who kept part of her housemates’ bond for ‘fake’ power bill has charges dismissed

The 28-year-old woman, who faked an electricity bill worth more than $900, told police she created the dodgy document because she’d been left with debt by other housemates in the past.

The 28-year-old woman, who faked a bill worth more than $900, had told police she created the dodgy document because she'd been left with debt by other housemates in the past.

A Byron Bay woman charged with creating a fake electricity bill to rip off her housemates has had the charges dismissed against her due to mental health concerns.

The 28-year-old woman appeared in Byron Bay Local Court on Tuesday, August 3, pleading guilty to dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

According to court documents, the woman, who has no prior criminal record, had a female housemate and the housemate’s boyfriend staying in the spare bedroom of her Byron Bay unit for about two-and-a-half months earlier this year.

When the couple moved in, they paid her a $1000 bond and they moved out on May 3.

Later that month, the female housemate received a message from the accused saying she would keep half of their bond to put toward bills.

She sent a screenshot of what she claimed was a bill from Alinta Energy for $994.21.

But for her former housemate, something didn’t stack up.

A call to the energy provider suggested the bill wasn’t legitimate and after she reported her concerns to police, the document was confirmed to be fake.

Police attended the accused’s unit on the morning of June 3 and, according to court documents, she admitted to creating the bogus bill.

She claimed to police the energy company hadn’t supplied a bill in time to finalise financial matters with her former flatmates, who were pursuing the return of their bond.

She also claimed she had been left with debt from other ex flatmates.

According to court documents, she later reimbursed the remaining $500 of the flatmates’ bond.

During her Tuesday sentence, solicitor Tom Ivey asked if the matter could be dealt with under the Mental Health Act.

Magistrate Karen Stafford consented the woman be discharged into the care of a responsible person.

Magistrate Stafford dismissed the charge and ordered that she comply with her treatment plan and seek the help of a psychologist.