Leon Jeffrey Watts avoids jail over insurance fraud

A North Tasmanian man who made fraudulent claims worth thousands about a stolen motorcycle and ute has avoided jail time.

A Northern Tasmanian man who falsely claimed nearly $46,000 from insurance for a stolen ute and motorcycle that were later found on his property has avoided jail time.

After just over two hours of deliberations a jury at the Launceston Supreme Court unanimously found Leon Jeffrey Watts, 46, guilty of two charges of dishonestly acquiring financial advantage.

A majority of ten or more jury members found him guilty of making a false statutory declaration and false statements.

The Grindelwald man claimed his Holden WB flat tray ute and KTM Super Duke motorcycle were stolen from his shed and reported it to police on October 2, 2019.

He later received a payout of $19,700 from Shannons Motor Insurance for a claim relating to the ute and a payout of $26,200 from Swann Insurance for a claim for the stolen motorcycle.

The court heard on December 5, 2019 police received an anonymous tip off saying it was insurance fraud and the vehicles were on the property, and reopened their investigation.

During a visit to the property on January 2, 2020 police were able to locate the stolen car and motorcycle in a shed.

Leon Jeffrey Watts. Picture : Facebook

Watts told police he had been drunk after watching the AFL grand final and forgotten he had left the motorcycle at a friend’s place.

He said was reminded by a friend a couple of weeks later.

Watts had pleaded not guilty to all three charges and chose to give evidence during the trial.

Crown prosecutor Ian Arendt said Watts had prior convictions in New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania.

Mr Arendt said the last offending had happened in 2005 and did not suggest an actual jail term was needed.

Defence counsel Lucy Flanagan said a suspended sentence would provide appropriate deterrence and allow Watts to carry out the travel needed for his work.

“He does instruct that he had a long standing heroin addiction after being introduced by his older stepbrother,” Ms Flanagan said.

She said he had been drug free since moving to Tasmania 13 years ago after receiving a job as a carpet layer.

Ms Flanagan said the money was fully paid back to both companies.

During sentencing Justice Stephen Escourt said the offending had “happened when he was 16 years offence free” and “all the time he was in Tasmania he had been drug free”.

Watts received a 15 months sentence wholly suspended for two years on the condition that he does not commit any offences punishable by imprisonment. 

Man faces court accused of falsely claiming $45,000 from insurance

A Northern Tasmanian man who is alleged to have falsely claimed more than $45,000 from insurance for a stolen motorbike and ute that were later allegedly found on his property has appeared in court.

Leon Jeffrey Watts, 46, pleaded not guilty to two charges of dishonestly acquiring financial advantage and one count of making a false statutory declaration and false statements in Launceston Supreme Court on Thursday.

It was alleged that Mr Watts called police on October 2, 2019 and said a Holden WB flat tray ute and KTM Super Duke motorcycle had been stolen from a shed on his Grindelwald property.

The jury was told after a routine investigation by police the file was listed as an unsolved incident.

The court heard Mr Watts later received a payout of $19,700 from Shannons Motor Insurance for a claim relating to the ute and a payout of $26,200 from Swann Insurance for a claim for the stolen motorcycle.

Detective Sergeant Darren Turner said on December 5, 2019 police received an anonymous

call saying the particular burglary was fraud.

Launceston Supreme Court.

He said he did an initial drive-by of the residence to try and spot the vehicles before going onto the property with a colleague on January 2, 2020.

The court heard they saw a motorbike matching the description of the one that was stolen and Mr Watts was able to provide documents that proved it was a different bike.

Detective Sergeant Turner said a purple Holden WB flat tray ute was seen in the shed which Mr Watts initially said it was another that he owned before identifying it as the stolen ute.

The court was told sheets covered two motorcycles in the back of the shed which police checked against the details of the stolen motorcycle.  

“At that point he’s obviously upset.

“He said ‘sorry boys,’ he had got drunk during the AFL grand final and he’d forgot he left his bike at his mate’s place and ultimately included the ute in the story it was stolen,” Detective Sergeant Turner.

Defence counsel Lucy Flanagan said the primary issue was essentially what was Mr Watts’ state of mind when he was making the statement.

“It’s agreed that he made the statement, it’s not agreed if he wilfully made the false statement and whether by deception was able to achieve financial advantage,” he said.  

In a recording of his conversation to the Shannons Motor Insurance that was played to the court Mr Watts said: “I’m actually thinking they used the ute to take the bike.”

“I’m thinking they’ve thrown it on the back of the tray,” he said.  

The trial continues.