Jack Kempston: Dubbo man deceives staff member to print off TAB ticket worth $3000

A Dubbo man who came up with a scheme to distract a hospitality worker while he printed off a $3000 TAB ticket has been charged and sentenced for dishonestly obtaining financial advantage.

A Dubbo man who came up with a ruse to distract a hospitality worker while he printed off a $3000 TAB ticket has been charged and sentenced for dishonestly obtaining financial advantage.

Jack Kempston, 27, appeared in Dubbo Local Court accompanied by his father, after he was arrested on April 11.

The former St Johns College student represented himself, waiting at the court until Wednesday evening to be heard by Magistrate Theresa Hamilton.

Jack Kempston was handed a community corrections order at Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday. Picture: Facebook

Documents tendered to Dubbo Local Court reveal Kempston entered the Macquarie Club shortly after 8:30pm, and was told by a staff member that they were closing very soon.

Kempston said he wouldn’t be long and immediately entered the gaming room where after a short period of time, he requested help from the staff member, “claiming one of the machines had taken his money”.

“The (staff member) investigated the machine nominated, and found half a five dollar note stuck in the machine,” police facts state.

After reimbursing Kempston, the staff member continued to go about closing the club and once again, the 27-year-old required help.

“On this occasion he claimed a poker machine had taken a twenty dollar note,” documents reveal.

“At this time (Kempston) stated he would meet the (staff member) in the gaming lounge after he went to the toilet.

“CCTV covers this interaction and shows (Kempston) go towards the bathroom and the (staff member) enter the gaming lounge.

Jack Kempston pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by the way of a $3000 TAB ticket. Picture: Facebook

Kempston then reappears a short time after on CCTV “where he can be seen to walk behind the bar and approach a TAB console”.

“The (staff member) in the interim is checking the poker machine, eventually (he identifies that) there was no twenty dollar note stuck in the machine.

“Whilst the accused is at the TAB console he can be seen pressing buttons and after several seconds he obtains a white paper slip from the machine … which enables him to claim $3000.

“Police are aware that the accused has an intimate knowledge of TAB machines and (its) functions as he worked in this industry for many years.”

CCTV footage showed Kempston leave the building and enter a vehicle where a short time later, he collected the $3000 from another location.

After becoming aware of the incident, the staff member contacted police and they “obtained (the) details)”.

The following day, officers attended the house of the vehicle, with the registered owner nominating Kempston as the person in charge for the past several months.

Police confirmed that Kempston was the primary user of the vehicle however, after officers asked about the use of the car on the night of the offence, he said he hadn’t been anywhere but was unable to nominate anyone else who had access.

“Police have evidence clearly showing the use of the vehicle this date,” documents reveal.

The court heard from Kempston that he would be pleading guilty to the incident and that he had already paid back the money.

Ms Hamilton accepted that it was a “spur of the moment” action, however she did acknowledge that this was “a serious matter” and factored in Kempston’s prior criminal history where he was handed a conditional release order for 12 months in 2020.

Ms Hamilton convicted Kempston, giving the 27-year-old an 18-month community corrections order and saying, “it is important that you stay out of trouble”.