Engineer in $20k rort

A GOLD Coast engineer has pleaded guilty to claiming more than $20,000 he wasn’t entitled to from Centrelink.

Bradd David Parks, 40, pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday to three counts of obtain a financial advantage.

The court heard Parks made false declarations about his income between 2011 and 2014, which netted him more than $20,000 from the Newstart Allowance.

Magistrate Mark Howden ordered Parks pay the money back to the Commonwealth. He was given a $1000 two-year good behaviour bond, sentenced to 18 months probation and a conviction was recorded.