Internet salesman failed to come up with the goods

A man conned people out of more than $10,000 by selling them items on the TradeMe website without coming up with the goods, a court was told.

Kalum Geoffrey Pritchard, 20, unemployed, of Pukehina, pleaded guilty in the Rotorua District Court on Friday to a range of charges, including 27 of fraud.

Judge Phillip Cooper remanded him in custody for sentencing on September 6.

Pritchard had advertised on TradeMe offering various items, including cameras, radar detectors, a cellphone, DVD player and a video games player.

On each occasion money was put into his bank account but he failed to send the goods ordered.

The 27 sums of money deposited ranged from $91 to $1200, adding up to more than $10,000.

Some complainants emailed Pritchard, asking where the items were.

Pritchard gave various excuses, saying his cat was ill, his mother was ill, or he was on the run from some people and the police.

He told some complainants they would never get their money if they complained to police and he went to jail because he would declare bankruptcy.

- NZPA