Melbourne Tinder swindler Christopher Collins may be released early

A Melbourne swindler jailed for using the phones of three of his online dates to pinch $100k for dodgy bets could be free by Christmas.

Tinder swindler Christopher Collins, who was jailed for two years, may be free in time for Christmas.

A Melbourne Tinder swindler, who was jailed for almost two years for pinching $100,000 from his dates for dodgy bets, could be free by Christmas after several months were shaved off his non-parole period.

Christopher Collins, 33, launched an appeal in the County Court on Friday against his sentence in a bid to become eligible for parole earlier than February.

He pleaded guilty in June to more than a dozen charges, including theft and deception, after using the phones of three women to move money from their respective banks to betting accounts while they were on Tinder and Bumble dates in 2020.

Collins, who claimed to be a “professional gambler”, snatched $13,000 from a sleeping woman after unlocking her phone by holding it to her face, swindled $72,000 from another date while she danced at a club and $8500 from a dinner date when she went to the bathroom.

Magistrate Cecily Hollingworth sentenced Collins in September to 22 months behind bars with a non-parole period of 16 months, saying he should be “thoroughly ashamed” of his behaviour.

But Judge Richard Maidment on Friday said there was a “glimmer of hope” for Collins, who appeared via video link from Loddon Prison, and ordered his non-parole period be shortened to 13 months.

Christopher Collins could be free by Christmas.

Judge Maidment said this meant Collins was now eligible for parole and “might get out before Christmas” if he was able to persuade the Adult Parole Board to release him.

However, prosecutor John Riordan said there was a possibility Collins had missed his window of opportunity to be heard before then.

Earlier, the court heard that Collins in October referred himself to a gambler’s help service run by Anglicare Victoria, which Judge Maidment said was a “new factor” for him to consider.

“It seems to me that there is some movement towards seeking assistance that might elevate his prospects of rehabilitation,” he said.

“If I see somebody taking steps towards rehabilitation … it fills me with some degree of hope.”

Judge Maidment said the material presented to him by defence lawyer William Blake, including a Forensicare report and certificates of courses completed by Collins in jail, suggested to him that the 33-year-old “may have turned a corner”.

“There is some hope for rehabilitation that takes his prospects from poor to guarded,” he said.

“And I’m certainly encouraged by the fact he has taken steps to seek help for the gambling addiction.”

Mr Riordan said the prosecution would not “quibble” with the defence when it came to the shortening of the non-parole period.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, a single mother of four said she had to rely on charities and handouts for months after Collins took “every cent of money” she had when he fleeced her of $8500.

“I slept well before the world got turned upside down by Chris Collins,” she said.

“This crime changed me and my life beyond repair.”

Collins has also been ordered to repay $9000 and $13,000 to two other victims.