Illawarra real estate agent Slade Small allegedly caught drink driving day before sentencing

A real estate agent who swindled hundreds of thousands of dollars from vulnerable home buyers for sports betting and cryptocurrency was allegedly caught drink driving a day before sentencing.

Illawarra real estate agent Slade Small leaving Nowra Local Court on December 20. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

Disgraced real estate agent Slade Small was allegedly caught drink driving only a day before he was due to appear in court for sentencing on fraud charges.

Small, 31, appeared at Nowra Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to five counts of dishonestly obtaining advantage by deception after defrauding more than $300,000 from the sale of six separate homes.

Small was involved in the sales through Illawarra real estate firm Blackbird Agency between August 2021 and February 2022, during which time he retained deposits intended for vendors.

Court documents obtained by this publication previously revealed the litany of victims Small’s fraud impacted, including a mother and daughter first-homebuyers and a 93-year-old retiree selling her family home.

Further documents tendered to the south coast court on Tuesday reveal that Small now faces two new charges after he was allegedly stopped by police on Flinders Rd in South Nowra on December 19.

About 3am, police allege Small returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.174, more than three times the legal limit.

Police also allege the Toyota Hiace van Small was driving at the time was unregistered.

Illawarra real estate agent Slade Small leaving Nowra Local Court on December 20. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

Pleas have not been entered, with the matters adjourned until January 16.

On the same day, Small will be sentenced for the fraud charges having been warned by Magistrate Lisa Viney he would not be granted any further adjournments.

The court heard Small had appeared three times for sentencing, but had the matters adjourned to seek public legal representation having previously been privately represented.

Agreed police revealed that investigators gained access in early-2022 to Small’s personal ANZ bank account as well as an account belonging to Smalltown McDonalds, which was intended to be used as a trustee account.

“Through both his personal and business accounts, Small has used funds which should have been held in trust for everyday transactions, such as food, fuel, and purchases at licensed venues,” agreed police facts revealed.

“Small also used the funds to pay for accounts such as Neds, Ladbrokes, and Bet365, and purchasing cryptocurrency. Numerous transfers to various other persons were also made.”

Despite the substantial sum retained, police claim that by January 13 the Smalltown McDonalds account belonging to the Blackbird Agency had a balance of just $56.92.

Small’s personal account, meanwhile, held only $411.20 in arrears.