A man who threw his motorcycle into the sea and then claimed insurance had announced his intentions the day before on Facebook, a court heard yesterday.
Hayden William Wilson, 21, of Macandrew Bay admitted in Dunedin District Court of making a false statement to police, and obtaining $4500 by deception.
Judge Stephen Coyle said: "On Facebook the day before, you said that was exactly what you were going to do."
He was convicted, given concurrent 150-hour sentences of community work on each charge, and ordered to pay $4000 reparation.
Prosecutor Sergeant Ross Hutton said Wilson told an associate on Facebook on September 3 last year he was going to throw his motorcycle into the harbour.
