Bendigo man tells court he will repay money to the TAC, Australia Post

Mitchell Landry, 22, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

He has pleaded guilty to three counts of obtaining property by deception, two counts of attempting to obtain property by deception, fraud, and attempted fraud.

The 22-year-old has also pleaded guilty to stalking, installing and maintaining a device to record private activity, using a device to record private activity, and possessing child abuse material in relation to a separate matter in early 2018.

Read other court news: Man who attacked partner avoids prison sentence in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court

The court heard Landry owed about $13,440 to Australia Post after fraudulently claiming postal insurance on a series of items he purchased in March 2019.

The 22-year-old, who was working at the Junortoun Post Office at the time, claimed insurance on an iPhone, an iPad, and a number of drones.

The court heard Landry, who was also employed to undertake gardening for two TAC clients, owed about $25,000 to the commission.

Landry submitted and was paid 183 invoices for work he had already been remunerated for or did not complete.

The 22-year-old also submitted 40 other invoices for work for which he had already been paid, but these were not approved.

Defence lawyer Nicholas Rolfe told the court Landry, who has an intellectual disability and high-functioning autism, had managed to source the funds to pay the compensation.

Magistrate Sharon McRae last month ordered Landry to undergo a justice plan assessment, given his intellectual disability, and a community corrections order assessment.

Read more court news: Man who allegedly threatened a guard with a knife released on bail due to COVID-19 delay

Ms McRae on Tuesday said the assessments had not convinced her that a sentence without jail time would be appropriate.

But the Magistrate said compensation payments could affect the sentence she imposed.

"If the payment is made, it could make a difference of it being a custodial sentence or a different outcome," Ms McRae said.

The Magistrate gave Landry two weeks to pay the more than $38,000 in compensation to the TAC and Australia Post.

Landry will return to the Bendigo Magistrates' Court next month for sentencing on the fraud and obtaining property by deception charges.

Sentencing on the other matters, in which he pleaded guilty to recording a 21-year-old victim using a bathroom without her knowledge and possessing more than 60 images of child abuse material, has also been adjourned until next month.

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