Aaron Neil Wesley: Launceston crim perverted justice, forged note

A Launceston man on bail for dozens of criminal charges spun an increasingly implausible web of lies to avoid having to adhere to a curfew but fell at the first hurdle, a court has heard.

A Launceston man on bail for dozens of criminal charges spun an increasingly implausible web of lies to avoid having to adhere to a curfew, signing statutory declarations to the effect that he was at hospital when police came knocking and even forging a letter purporting to be from a respected clinician.

How did cops know he was fibbing? He got the date on the letter wrong.

South Launceston man Aaron Neil Wesley, 32, pleaded guilty in Launceston Supreme Court on Monday to two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice and one of forgery with intent to defraud.

The court heard the three offences were committed in January and April last year, while Wesley was on bail for dozens of criminal charges, all of which were dealt with in August.

Wesley’s bail, imposed on December 10, 2020, stipulated that he be at his home between 10pm–7am, the court heard.

On January 13 last year at 5.33am, Tasmania Police attended Wesley’s residence to check his compliance and discovered he was not there.

When they returned on January 15, Wesley told them he was seeking treatment at the Launceston General Hospital at the time of their compliance check and furnished a statutory declaration to that effect.

After checking this version of events with the hospital and discovering them to be false, police arrested and charged Wesley on January 19, remanding him in pre-sentence custody.

He then changed his story, telling police he was unable to walk home due to a pre-existing back injury.

Wesley pleaded not guilty to the offence on February 18 and was released on bail again several weeks later, this time with an enlarged curfew of 9pm–8am, the court heard.

Then, on April 15, 2021, at 10.10pm, police again conducted a compliance check and discovered Wesley was not home in breach of curfew.

When they returned on April 17, Wesley told officers he was visiting his ex-partner in the hospital’s maternity ward.

Breaking News Breaking News South Launceston man Aaron Neil Wesley, 32. Picture: Facebook

He signed another statutory declaration and also produced a forged letter from a doctor in the ward, confirming his attendance at the hospital.

However, the bumbling Wesley had erred – the letter said he was at the hospital on June 15, two months in the future.

He was remanded again in pre-sentence custody, where he remained until his sentence in August 2021, Magistrate Ken Stanton handing Wesley a partially suspended sentence and a 12-month community correction order.

Defence counsel Fran McCracken told the court her client had been homeless since his release from custody at his previous sentence.

She said he still had some issues with methamphetamine abuse – minor drug charges are pending before the Magistrates Court.

However, she told the court her client was engaging well with the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Service.

Justice Robert Pearce adjourned the sentence until February 24 to allow Community Corrections Tasmania to provide the court with a report on Wesley’s performance under the existing order.