Murgon Court: Corey David John Coulton sentenced for fraud against mother dying in hospital

A South Burnett man who fleeced money from his own mother while she was dying in hospital says he intended to use it to “go on a bender”.

A South Burnett man who stole hundreds of dollars from his mum while she was dying in hospital says he intended to use the money to “go on a bender” to help him cope.

Corey David John Coulton was visiting his mother at a Mackay hospital when he used her phone to transfer $300 from his parents’ joint bank account into his own.

When Coulton’s father uncovered the unauthorised transaction, he reported it to police.

The 33-year-old’s mother, who was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, has since died.

Coulton was arrested on June 12 where he told police he’d taken the money but intended to return it once he received his income, police prosecutor Barry Stevens told Murgon Magistrates Court

Lawyer Mark Werner said his client was his mother’s full-time carer for the past five months and was not coping.

“It got very close to the end,” he said.

“She was being fed on a drip and was mostly unconscious, and he informs me he wasn’t coping.

“He was going to get paid the following week and withdrew $300 to basically go on a bit of a bender and his father reported him to the police.”

The court was told he has since paid back the $300 to his father.

Coulton pleaded guilty to fraud and was fined $500.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Murgon Court: Corey David John Coulton sentenced for fraud against mother dying in hospital