Scott Sullivan wins severity appeal after defrauding bushfire charities of $24K

A south coast drug dealer claimed his caravan had been destroyed by bushfire. He spent the money on a hotel room where he was dealing ice.

Scott Anthony Bruce Sullivan claimed his caravan had been destroyed by the Clyde Mountain bushfire at Mogo. Picture: John Feder

Editor‘s note: A previous version of this story stated that Mr Sullivan had his severity appeal thrown out. That was incorrect. Mr Sullivan’s sentence was reduced in the District Court.

A south coast drug dealer who defrauded three charities to the tune of $24,000 during the summer bushfire emergency has had his sentence reduced on appeal.

Scott Anthony Bruce Sullivan, 45, of Moruya faced Bega District Court on December 2 after pleading guilty to three counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and four counts of supplying a small amount of a prohibited drug in October.

Judge Robyn Tupman said Sullivan had used the money to pay for a room at the Batemans Bay Marina Resort, where he was dealing in methylamphetamines, more commonly known as “ice”.

Judge Tupman agreed to reduce Sullivan’s original sentence of 30 months to 24 months, with a non-parole period of 12 months.

Sullivan received $20,000 from Red Cross Australia after visiting the Batemans Bay recovery centre on February 3 this year claiming his caravan, parked somewhere on private property at Mogo, and all its contents had been completely destroyed by the Clyde Mountain bushfire on New Year’s Eve.

One week later Sullivan returned to the recovery centre where he told the same story to the Salvation Army and received $3000.

Four days later he again returned, this time approaching the St Vincent de Paul Society and receiving $1000.

Sullivan told the court he had given half of the money away, and had just $1000 left in his bank account at the time of his arrest.

Scott Anthony Bruce Sullivan faced Bega District Court on December 2. Picture: Google Maps

Sullivan, who appeared over video link, told the court he had parked the caravan on state forest land north of Mogo, and was paying a friend called “Rob” $300 in instalments for the mobile home at the time of the fire. He said the caravan was full of work tools, trophies and “nick-nacks” following his separation from his partner in 2018.

However, Judge Tupman said she believed Sullivan “never owned a caravan”. A visibly frustrated Sullivan was heard to scoff at the comment.

Judge Tupman told the court there was no evidence Sullivan had “lost anything” on New Year’s Eve to bushfire, despite Sullivan’s claims he had managed to evacuate with one bag of clothes.

“When it comes to the bushfire fraud, yes I did have a caravan, and I was paying a friend off for it,” Sullivan told the court.

He blamed the charities for handing him the money without checking, saying he was “in a bit of a panic” and using methylamphetamine daily at the time.

Sullivan told the court he had initially told police he couldn’t remember any details of where his caravan had been parked at the time of the fires.

“I was under pressure from detectives who were swarming me for the drug thing,” he said.

During sentencing Judge Tupman described Sullivan’s offending as “appalling”, adding he had deliberately committed “very serious offences of fraud”.

“Taking away from genuine people who needed help, to do who knows what [with the money],” she said.

“We have heard we are all in this together, but we should be all in this together to help each other.”

She said the “confusion” and “chaos” at the relief centre had meant it was difficult for them to know if people were “double dipping”.

The remains of several shops and businesses which were all destroyed by the New Year’s Eve bush fire in Mogo. Picture: AAP Image/James Gourley

Sullivan claimed he was dealing in small amounts of methylamphetamine to support his own habit, which Judge Tupman rejected as he had already received the bushfire relief money into his bank account.

She did, however reduce Sullivan’s sentence for drug supply by three months, saying his six month sentence for cannabis supply should’ve been a fine when dealt with in the Local Court.

She handed him an 18 month intensive corrections order for three methylamphetamine deals in the Tomakin, Moruya and Batehaven areas between December last year and February this year.

Sullivan had been arrested on February 26 in his motel room by police investigating other matters, and a search of his phone uncovered text messages describing the deals.

While on bail he handed himself in to police on June 20 this year, admitting he had defrauded the charities.

Judge Tupman described Sullivan as “more than just a street dealer”.

“He had some control,” she told the court.

“He was the person people contacted by way of SMS. The quantities were low, but he was the one who others turned to get drugs.”

“This is when he’s just been given $20,000 by the Red Cross.”

Sullivan’s sentence was backdated to June 20, meaning he will be paroled on June 19 next year.