Kyeamba Angus breeder Corey Ireland fraud case handed to DPP
Kyeamba Angus breeder Corey Ireland currently faces 13 fraud charges. See who his alleged victims are and how much they are owed.
THE fraud case against NSW Angus cattle breeder Corey Ireland has been handed over to the Director of Public Prosecutions in a significant move that underscores the seriousness of the charges.
In the Wagga Wagga Local Court yesterday, the NSW police prosecutor handed the brief over to the DPP to pursue 13 charges against Mr Ireland, 45, of Kyemba, south of Wagga Wagga, for fraud collectively amounting to $3 million.
Details on five new charges laid against Mr Ireland by the NSW Police’s Rural Crime Unit last month have now emerged.
Two of the charges allege he dishonestly obtained financial advantage or caused disadvantage by deception against Anita Withers between June, 2013, and June 30 this year.
One charge alleged a financial advantage to Mr Ireland on a cattle deal valued at $66,000, while the other related to a loan where he dishonestly stated the terms for the loan and failed to adhere to the conditions of the loan, providing an advantage to himself of $150,000.
Ms Withers worked for Mr Ireland and his wife Prue on their Ivydell property at Kyeamba and lived with them for about 2½ years.
The other three new charges relate to cattle business dealings with Kerry and Cynthia Podmore, of Gobbagombalin, near Wagga Wagga, between April 1, 2014, and February 6, this year.
Two of those charges alleged Mr Ireland dishonestly sold or disposed of Angus cows and heifers that were part of business deals with the Podmores, creating a financial advantage to himself of more than $100,000.
The other charge alleged Mr Ireland signed a bill of sale for animals to negate a debt to the Podmores, creating an $103,000 advantage to himself.
The Podmores owned a small farm at Gobbagombalin where they ran cattle.
The original eight charges laid in June against Mr Ireland all relate to cattle deals with four other parties.
Three charges allege fraud against Wagga Wagga cattle investor Richard Allsopp to the collective value of $1.1 million.
Another three charges accuse Mr Ireland of fraud against Melbourne cattle investor Peter August, who owns Holstons Pastoral Company in East Gippsland.
Police allege Mr August was defrauded of about $1 million.
One charge related to a $385,000 fraud against Trent Walker, of the Keringa Angus stud in Lameroo, South Australia.
The other charge alleges Mr Ireland gained a $75,000 advantage to himself from the late Mavis and Phillip Page.
The Pages ran the Quamby Angus stud in Tasmania and later at Holbrook in NSW.
Quamby had one of the oldest breeding herds in Australia.
Mrs Page died in 2017 and Mr Page died in April, 2018.
According to a report by RSM Australia Partners, liquidators of CJ & PJ Ireland Pty Ltd, Maureen O’Toole, as executor of Mrs Page’s estate, lodged a claim against the Ireland company for 25 head of Quamby cattle.
The Wagga Wagga Court magistrate Christopher Halburd adjourned the case to February 17 next year with Mr Ireland’s bail continuing until the next hearing.
Mr Ireland has not entered a plea on the charges.
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NSW CATTLE BREEDER CHARGED WITH FRAUD
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