Mildura Magistrates’ Court: Aaron Charles Peters charged over alleged tax fraud

A Mildura man claims there is no way he could have scammed the ATO out of $76,000 because he can’t read or write.

Aaron Charles Peters has pleaded guilty to trespassing at the Mildura Magistrates’ Court​

A Mildura man who pleaded guilty to trespassing told a court he couldn’t have defrauded the tax office out of tens of thousands of dollars because he doesn’t know how to read or write.

On April 7, Aaron Charles Peters attended an address in Mildura, and while he didn’t take anything from the site, tire tracks were located matching his vehicle and Peters fingerprints were discovered at the scene.

Peters pleaded guilty to one charge of trespassing and was convicted and fined $800.

On the charge of tax fraud, Magistrate Michael Coghlan offered Peters four months’ jail if he pleaded to the charge of defrauding the ATO out of $76,000 in tax fraud.

However, Peters declined the sentencing indication and chose to fight the charges under the defence that he couldn’t have submitted the necessary forms to register of tax refunds and submit claims because he doesn’t know how to read or write

“His defence is that he can’t read or write so another person has used his details to make the claims,” Peters’ Lawyer Peter Delorenzo told the court.

He will next appear in court on December 18.