Tim Lovell: South Nowra tradie appeals full-time jail term for scamming clients, business partner

The fraudster roofer who swindled more than $100,000 from clients and a business partner, blaming the multi-month long scam on “financial hardship”, has appealed his jail sentence.

Tim Lovell pleaded guilty to seven fraud charges. Picture: Tom McGann

A roofer who swindled more than $100,000 from business partners and clients, blaming the scam on “financial hardship”, has successfully appealed his full-time jail term.

Tim Lovell, 41, was convicted and sentenced to an aggregate term of 20 months in prison, with a non-parole period of 12 months, by magistrate Geraldine Beattie in Nowra Local Court on July 16, after pleading guilty to seven counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception.

The South Nowra man was also ordered to pay his victims back the stolen funds.

However, Lovell was released on bail 10 days into his jail term, while an appeal on his sentence was pending.

Lovell appeared before Nowra District Court on Tuesday, where his lawyer William O’Brien made submissions to Judge Christopher O’Brien that the full-time sentence could be served as an intensive correction order.

Tim Lovell’s case was heard in the Nowra District Court. Picture: Dylan Arvela

The appeal followed Lovell admitting to swindling tens of thousands of dollars from clients and a former business partner between 2021 and 2022.

Documents tendered to the court revealed Lovell was caught out stealing $58,161 from Coast Style Roofing between March and September 2021, while he was co-director of the company.

Tim Lovell. Picture: Tom McGann

Agreed facts stated Lovell had provided clients with his personal bank details rather than those of the company.

Lovell was officially terminated from his position at the business and removed as a shareholder during a company meeting on September 30, 2021, after his fraud was uncovered by business partners.

The con continued, despite losing his position, with Lovell taking an additional $40,475 from clients between February and May 2022, while working as an independent contractor despite never completing any of the promised work.

In the Nowra District Court on Tuesday, Lovell’s lawyer asked the sentence be changed, citing his client paying back the victims he defrauded as an independent contractor.

Mr O’Brien presented three cheques written for the victims in court, stating the officer in charge would be contacted to distribute the funds.

“We are dealing with a man today who is significantly different to the man who was dealt with in early July,” he said.

Lovell’s lawyer also said his client was serving “very strict” bail and said the court could be comforted knowing he had not reoffended since being sentenced.

However, Crown prosecutor Kathryn Malcolm said the cheques were not “remorse”, but Lovell following court orders.

“It may give you some comfort knowing he is complying with orders,” she said.

Ms Malcolm said it was in the community’s interest and safety to have Lovell complete his jail term.

Judge O’Brien said it was important to consider Lovell’s lack of a criminal record before the frauds and the details of each individual charge.

“This is not a fraud case involving hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars, as the court often sees,” he said.

“That needs to be weighed in the balance of the totality in way of the offending.”

Judge O’Brien said, given Lovell’s history and the amount defrauded, that his 20-month jail sentence could be served by way of an intensive corrections order, with the new sentencing beginning on Tuesday,

The judge also ruled that Lovell would need to complete 200 hours of community service and seek out professional mental health support.

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