Cairns builder Ty Gregory Jones fronts court on fraud related charges

Police have charged a builder with a long list of fraud-related charges after he allegedly took money from Far North Qld flood victims promising reconstruction work but failing to deliver.

Cairns builder Ty Jones has been charged with 19 offences including five counts of fraud by dishonestly, forgery, uttering, one count each of fraud by dishonest application of property and fraud by dishonestly gaining benefit/advantage. Picture: Facebook

Police have charged a builder with a long list of fraud-related charges after he allegedly took money from Far North Queensland flood victims promising reconstruction work but failing to deliver.

On Friday Ty Gregory Jones, 38 of Freshwater, fronted Cairns Magistrates Court on 19 charges.

Detectives from the Smithfield and Edmonton Criminal Investigation Branches arrested Mr Jones on Thursday while he was eating breakfast in Palm Cove after a protracted investigation.

Police allege that between July 2024 and June 2025, Mr Jones engaged in multiple fraudulent activities, including failing to pay for accommodation, receiving payment for contracted work which was not completed, a failure to pay employees, using false identification, receiving monetary benefits and forged documents.

A Hipages log from one Machans Beach victim showing the company A&A Building and Construction. Picture: Supplied

Mr Jones quoted on jobs advertised on tasking apps such as Hipages under the business name A&A Building and Construction.

A&A Building and Construction was registered and had a Queensland Building and Construction Commission licences until April 30 this year when the trade contractor

licence and builder licence was cancelled for a failure to comply with a QBCC audit.

The A&A Building and Construction licence number has been quoted on worksite information placards however the contractor listed on the same placards is Revive Homes.

A construction site sign erected at a Machans Beach property purporting work was being done by Revive Homes. Picture: Supplied

Ty Jones was arrested in Palm Cove on Thursday.

Police also allege Mr Jones caused damage to a McDonald Close property in Palm Cove on June 17.

In May 2022 Mr Jones was the director of Heartland Constructions when the company was voluntarily wound up.

Creditors at the time scrambled to claim a combined sum of $784,988.

The collapse of the firm followed the QBCC suspending Mr Jones’ builder’s licence in March 2022 for a failure to satisfy financial requirements and the license was ultimately cancelled for the same reason.

Currently the QBCC lists no active licences under the name Ty Jones.

Revive Homes on their website claims to have been operating in Cairns since 2005.

Charges heard in court on Friday included one count of wilful damage, five counts each of fraud by dishonestly making off without paying, fraud by dishonesty, two counts each of forgery and uttering, one count each of fraud by dishonest application of property of another, stealing by employers, fraud by dishonestly gaining benefit/advantage and breach of bail.

When contacted by the Cairns Post earlier this year Mr Jones said he had spoken to the police who he claimed indicated everything was “as right as rain”.

“There have been a few clients that I have had an altercation with and we have been too busy to get to them quick enough,” he said.

Cairns builder Ty Jones was charged after a lengthy police investigation. Picture: Facebook Picture: Facebook

“I complied with everything and did everything right, I have given everything back, everything is sorted.”

Mr Jones applied for bail during a brief hearing on Friday.

The court heard that Mr Jones was on bail for 22 other serious offences at the time of his arrest on the new charges.

Police prosecutor Joseph Kurtin described his previous charges as “like” offences of a fraud nature.

He said the new fraud charges added up to more than $60,000.

Mr Jones’ acting lawyer, Luke Parrish, conceded he was in a very difficult position.

He characterised Mr Jones’ fraud charges into three categories, fuel drive offs, accommodation fraud for not paying hotels he had stayed at, and money he had received for work that was not completed.

Mr Parrish said they would be contesting the charges saying Mr Jones held a position as a supervisor with A&A Constructions under the director who was in Townsville.

The bail request was denied and he was remanded in custody until the next mention of the matter on July 14.

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Originally published as Cairns builder Ty Gregory Jones fronts court on fraud related charges