Echuca business owner Lincoln Mifsud pleads guilty to dishonesty offences

Lincoln William Mifsud, 46, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to two counts of making a false document and two counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception.

The court heard Mifsud owned a spray painting and panel business in Echuca for about 10 years.

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In January and February last year, he created false clearance documents to receive more than $5000 for repair works he never completed.

Mifsud signed off on the documents purporting to be the two owners of the vehicles, the court was told.

The 46-year-old's business stopped trading on February 28 and he never returned the money.

Mifsud attended the Echuca Police Station on June 12, where he was charged with the offences.

He admitted to the crimes during his record of interview, telling police he never intended to abandon the works and that "other circumstances" led to the works not being done.

Defence lawyer Nicholas Rolfe told the court Mifsud was already serving a two-year community corrections order, after he pleaded guilty in the County Court to handling stolen goods charges.

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Mr Rolfe said Mifsud had already closed his business and sold his house to pay off his outstanding debts.

The defence lawyer said his client was prepared to pay back the more than $5000 in restitution.

Mr Rolfe submitted that while Mifsud was "very lucky" to avoid jail time for the County Court matters, a fine or unpaid community work order would be an appropriate sentence.

Magistrate Sharon McRae said the deceptions were "intentional" and "orchestrated".

Ms McRae said Mifsud should not have resorted to breaking the law in an effort to get his business back on track.

The magistrate said given Mifsud offended on two separate occasions, a conviction was appropriate.

Mifsud was fined $1000 and ordered to pay restitution.

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