Couple Stuart Rob Allan, Rebecca Jane Allan sentenced for swindling $75,000 in bushfire grants to buy collectables

Two former Lismore-based beef cattle breeders, who swindled $75,000 of bushfire grants then bought collectables despite claims of trauma that impacted their decisions, have been sentenced.

Former Richmond Valley cattle breeders Stuart Rob Allan and wife Rebecca Jane Allan have been convicted and sentenced for defrauding 2019 bushfire grants along with weapons offences, yet mother of four, Ms Allan immediately appealed her sentence and conviction.

Two former Casino cattle breeders, who swindled $75,000 of bushfire recovery grants blaming the trauma of losing cattle, property and belongings to then spend it on collectables, have received jail terms.

Stuart Rob Allan, 38 and wife Rebecca Jane Allan, 37 appeared before Magistrate Geoffrey Hiatt in Ballina Local Court for sentencing on Wednesday.

Rebecca Jane Allan immediately appealed her conviction and sentence of 12 months jail with four months non-parole for two counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, two counts of fail to comply with mandatory measures, recklessly deal with proceeds of crime greater than $5000, use false document to obtain financial advantage, and possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit along with $1500 in fines.

She was granted strict conditional bail to reappear in Lismore District Court on February 26.

Rebecca and Robert Allan outside Ballina Local Court.

Despite the fraud, described as “unplanned” and “unsophisticated”, Stuart Rob Allan was convicted of two counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, three counts of fail to comply with mandatory measures, dishonestly obtain property by deception, recklessly deal with proceeds of crime more than $5000, use false document to obtain financial advantage, possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, and acquire firearm part without authority to do so.

Allan was sentenced to an aggregate jail term of 15 months with six months non-parole and fined a total of $4750.

Stuart Rob Allan and Rebecca Jane Allan outside Lismore Local Court.

Allan claimed he lost more than, triple-0 head of cattle in the 2019 bushfires and attempted to claim compensation through an insurance company while also applying for several NSW Government grant schemes for bushfire assistance in the Casino region.

The Allans were investigated after an alleged tip-off by the Richmond Police District Rural Crime Prevention Team under Strike Force Munyana in June 2020.

Officers executed a search warrant at the couple’s East Lismore property on December 15, 2020, where they seized collectable coins, weapons and documentation.

Officers from the Richmond Police District Rural Crime Prevention Team under Strike Force Munyana executed a search warrant at an East Lismore property on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 where they seized collectable coins, weapons and documentation from Stuart and Rebecca Allan.

The court heard the couple claimed they lost more cattle than they owned and funds were transferred between bank accounts and to auctioneers for the purchase of collectable coins.

Defence lawyer Harry Maarraoui, said the offending occurred while the couple faced “real hardship”, including from the Covid pandemic.

“ … now they have nothing left to what they did have prior to the fires,” the lawyer said.

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