Angela Armstrong hires private eye in $50K claim on Tristan Hubbard

A Tasmanian lawyer who alleges a former school friend and casual fling made off with $50,000 of her family’s money has gone to extraordinary lengths to track the jetsetting respondent down.

A Tasmanian lawyer who has filed a $50,000 claim against a former school friend and ex-flame for breach of contract has been granted permission to serve legal documents on the respondent’s mother, a well-known businesswoman.

It comes after Low Head lawyer Angela Armstrong, who formerly practised at a respected Launceston firm, detailed the extraordinary measures she had taken to track down defendant Tristan Robert Hubbard, 47, formerly of the Perth area, who she believes now lives in Western Australia.

The measures, detailed before Launceston Magistrate Simon Brown on Tuesday and further expanded upon in court documents, included engaging a Perth, WA firm of private detectives and contacting Mr Hubbard’s mother Lydia Nettlefold, against whom there is no allegation of wrongdoing.

Ms Nettlefold, the owner of Perth’s Clarendon Arms Hotel and Hadspen’s Red Feather Inn, had been unable to assist in locating her son, Ms Armstrong told the court.

Mr Brown granted the application for substituted service, meaning the claim against Mr Hubbard, who Ms Armstrong told the court had lived variously in Indonesia, France, the Philippines and the United Kingdom since his last return home in 2018, could be served on Ms Nettlefold.

Bishops Barristers & Solicitors lawyer Angela Armstrong, of Low Head, is suing former resident of the Perth area, Tristan Robert Hubbard, for $50,000, alleging breach of contract. Picture: Facebook

Mr Brown directed that Tuesday’s proceedings would be sent via email to both of Mr Hubbard’s known email addresses and public notices would be placed in The Examiner and The West Australian newspapers.

According to Ms Armstrong’s statement of claim, she and Mr Hubbard attended Launceston Church Grammar School together in the 1980s and reconnected in November 2018, upon which they commenced a “casual sexual relationship”.

In March 2019, Ms Armstrong allegedly told Mr Hubbard she needed money to help care for her ailing father, Robert, whose 16 years at The Manor aged care facility after a severe stroke had “severely depleted” her family’s estate.

She claimed Mr Hubbard responded he could assist in his capacity as an “accomplished commodities trader” and on April 9 they entered into a contract for him to invest the money on her behalf.

According to Ms Armstrong’s claim, she requested the return of her money a week later after Mr Hubbard failed to make contact following the transfer of the $50,000.

Ms Armstrong’s father died on April 20.

Following this, Ms Armstrong claimed the excuses began to “flow”.

She alleged Mr Hubbard conceded he moved the funds offshore and told her he could not return the money because he had been “counterplayed”, before changing tack to claim the funds were a gift from the deceased Mr Armstrong.

“It became evident that I had been scammed,” her claim said.

Without being able to interview Mr Hubbard, Tasmania Police had been unable to substantively assist, Ms Armstrong said.

On April 21 last year, Mr Hubbard sent Ms Armstrong a cease and desist notice via email relating to a Facebook page she had launched over the dispute, wherein he said she had been posting “untruthful and defamatory claims" which damaged “my personal and business reputation on social media platforms”.

The page remains active, last posting on February 5.