Fake sales on Facebook lead to real jail

‘‘One of your victims is a 63-year-old retiree.’’ Judge Chris Sygrove

A man with a history of selling imaginary items on Facebook has received a real life jail sentence.

Ryan Andrew Slade, 20, was sentenced to five months’ home detention in Ha¯wera District court in March for offending including a number of fraudulent Facebook sales.

But he was back in the dock on Wednesday for sentencing on three charges that came to light after the others.

Judge Chris Sygrove told Slade his actions struck at the heart of the internet trading system.

‘‘A huge number of New Zealand citizens use it to obtain goods from others with fair and reasonable terms. Ninety-nine per cent of these transactions are honoured. Your behaviour undermines that system,’’ he said.

‘‘One of your victims is a 63-year-old retiree. She’s obviously living hand to mouth and says she felt ripped off and disbelieving that someone could do that.’’

Slade had previously admitted one charge of obtains by deception, after he advertised and received payment for a cellphone that the buyer never received, and two of causing loss by deception, for which he was jointly charged with another man.

At 1.45am on November 8, Slade made contact with the victim using a Facebook buy and sell site, a police summary of facts said. The victim was interested in buying a Samsung Galaxy S7 from Slade, but asked for some ID to be provided.

Slade provided the driver’s licence and bank account details of a close associate.

The victim and Slade agreed on a price of $300, with $150 paid straight away and the further $150 upon delivery.

Later that day, Slade requested more money for postage, which the victim agreed to.

Between November 8 and 17, he convinced the victim to pay a further $300 into the nominated account, with empty promises the phone would be sent.

However, Slade no longer had the phone and had swapped it for a car in another deal, the summary said.

In a separate offence, on January 18, Slade and a co-offender advertised and sold an iPhone 7 they didn’t have to two different victims using Facebook, a police summary of facts said.

One victim paid $407 and the other paid $450, the summary said.

The two shared the money after withdrawing it from the bank.

Defence lawyer Neal Harding urged Judge Sygrove to add a consecutive sentence of two months’ home detention to Slade’s current sentence.

‘‘If things had been ideal, these would have been added to his sentence,’’ he said. ‘‘We’re dealing with a fairly unsophisticated method of fraud.’’ However, the judge declined. He sentenced Slade to 41⁄2 months’ jail and ordered him to pay combined reparation of $878 on all three charges.