Fake demolisher razes three houses in Melbourne’s southeast
A tradesman who posed as a registered building demolisher to tear down homes across Springvale and Noble Park has been blasted for considering fines to be “an occupational cost of doing illegal business”.
South East
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A fake building demolisher has been fined $95,000 after he illegally razed three houses in Melbourne’s southeast.
Badaoui Fares, 46, demolished two houses in Springvale in 2013, and a third house in Noble Park in 2017.
Mr Fares was found guilty on November 7 at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court of seven charges relating to the illegal demolition of the Springvales houses in 2013.
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He also pleaded guilty to illegally demolishing the Noble Park house in 2017 without holding a mandatory building permit.
In 2013 Mr Fares applied for building permits after he was approached to demolish two buildings in Springvale.
He was required to obtain the permits to demolish the two properties, but used a forged signature to look like the property owner’s.
Mr Fares was also obliged to hold the required insurance before demolishing the houses, but never obtained it because he was unregistered and unable to do so.
He was also not authorised to apply for the building permits on behalf of the property owner.
Mr Fares told the court he was not required to be registered with the Victorian Building Authority or have insurance, because he was only working as a subcontractor to the demolisher, who was registered.
He claimed to have a written agreement which backed up his claims, but could not produce it.
Magistrate Leonard Brear dismissed Mr Fares’ claims and found him guilty of all seven charges.
Magistrate Brear said Mr Fares had acted against community interest in a very serious way by demolishing the houses while unregistered and uninsured.
He also said Mr Fares’ attitude showed he considered fines to be “an occupational cost of doing illegal business” because he was making money by claiming to have a demolition license.
The VBA’s acting executive director of operations, Darryl O’Brien, said “Mr Fares knowingly applied for building permits in someone else’s name without permission.”
“He deliberately provided false information to the relevant building surveyor.
“And he demolished three houses without being registered or insured.”
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Dr O’Brien said Mr Fares’ actions were fraudulent and unacceptable.
“The Victorian Building Authority will not stand by and allow people such as Mr Fares to place the reputation of Victoria’s building industry at risk,” he said.
Mr Fares was convicted and fined $95,000 plus costs.
Mr Fares was convicted in 2010 for two similar matters and was fined $10,000 plus costs for the first demolition, and his company was fined $8000 plus $10,000 in costs for the second demolition.