Man who faked own death admits insurance scam

An Australian man who faked his own death and took on a new identity in New Zealand has admitted trying to cash in on a multimillion-dollar life insurance policy.

Harry Bentley Gordon yesterday pleaded guilty to conspiring to obtain money by deception, and false representation resulting in a police investigation.

He also pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing false Australian travel documents, and one charge of possessing a falsified Australian passport when he appeared in the Raymond Terrace Local Court, near Newcastle. He did not apply for bail.

A coroner ruled in 2001 that Gordon had died in a boating accident north of Newcastle on June 3, 2000.

His small boat was found with a smashed windscreen, and champagne bottles lying on the deck.

The coroner ruled that the vessel had struck a navigation marker.

His wife, Sheila Gordon, made a claim on a $3.6 million life insurance policy taken out two months before he disappeared but AMP Insurance never paid out because a body was not found.

But the 57-year-old was actually living in New Zealand under a new identity, Robert Motzel, and was married in September.

His New Zealand wife, Kristine Newsome, had no comment last night.

Sheila Gordon told police in August that her husband was still alive and living in New Zealand.

He was arrested on November 7 when he flew to Sydney on a New Zealand passport issued under his real name.

Lawyer Geoff Archer last night told the Herald that Gordon wanted to deal with the charges "fairly expeditiously and hopefully prior to Christmas".

Mr Archer said he knew why Gordon had returned to Australia but would not say whether he had intended to confront his past and confess.

Gordon told his Auckland real estate agent he was going to Sydney to "tie up some loose ends", although it appeared he intended to return to his job at Versatile Buildings in Henderson last Wednesday.

Mr Archer said he did not know if Ms Newsome had been in touch with her husband.

Gordon was "very well" and "looking forward to a resolution of everything", the lawyer said.

He said the level of criminality in Gordon's offending was "on the low end of the scale" and a pre-sentence report would look at his state of mind when he faked his death.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Louise Foster yesterday told the court she would be recommending that the matter go to a higher court.

Magistrate Colin Elliott ordered the matter be heard in the same court on December 22.

Outside the court Chief Inspector Wayne Humphrey, who heads Strike Force Rebellion set up to investigate Gordon's disappearance, said other people could face charges.

"I would say [it's] very, very likely," he said.

"There are still a number of lines of inquiry that need to be taken up. They will be in progress over a period that we have to serve the brief [of evidence] and probably beyond."

Inspector Humphrey would not elaborate on who else was being investigated, other than to say inquiries in New Zealand were also continuing.