Wayne Rumble: Canberra real estate identity spared return to jail after working unregistered
Colourful Canberra real estate veteran Wayne Rumble has avoided a return to jail despite breaching his suspended sentence.
Canberra Star
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Canberra real estate agent Wayne Rumble has avoided a return to jail despite breaching his suspended sentence for threatening to kill a document server by holding a Japanese-style knife to his face in 2016.
Rumble, 55, was on Wednesday sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour order and had his suspended sentence extended after he last month pleaded guilty to working as an unregistered real estate salesperson.
It was the second time Rumble had been found guilty of flouting his registration requirements, but he was spared a conviction in 2011.
Rumble’s lawyer said his client was a 26-year veteran of the real estate industry and was well aware of his ethical and professional obligations.
He said Rumble’s failure to register as a salesperson, despite repeated warnings from the ACT consumer affairs authorities, was “of an administrative nature”.
The court heard Rumble’s agency “hasn’t been very successful”, and that he was on Centrelink benefits, living with his parent’s house and paying them board.
According to a consumer affairs investigation, Rumble has admitted to ignoring the direction of an administrator to not work after his registration lapsed.
Court documents show he drove an SUV with agency branding, handed out his company business card and organised open homes while unregistered.
While unregistered he arranged the lease of a townhouse in Yarralumla as well as a flat in Bruce, despite “numerous direct, written and verbal instructions not to”.
Magistrate James Stewart said it was important there was no allegation Rumble had acted “nefariously” while unregistered.
Rumble has since re-registered as an agent.
Mr Stewart said it was important the real estate industry was heavily regulated because agents and salespeople oversee large financial transactions.
“The position of a real estate agent or salesperson is one of real trust,” Mr Stewart said.
He said he would not send Rumble back to jail despite him breaching his suspended sentence, because working as an unregistered agent was “dissimilar” to holding a knife to someone’s face and threatening to kill them.
Mr Stewart said Rumble would end up back behind bars unless he obeyed the law.
“I hope your business flourishes instead,” he said.