Stolen licence used in crimes

A Whanganui fraudster was sent to jail on Tuesday.

Gregory Hina pleaded guilty in Whanganui District Court to two charges of accessing a computer for unlawful purposes, obtaining a document by deception, taking a document for pecuniary advantage, using a bank or credit card fraudulently, assault with a blunt instrument and contravening a protection order.

Judge David Cameron told the court that on November 21, 2015, Hina contacted a person on Facebook via the Whanganui Buy, Sell, Swap page.

Hina claimed he wanted to buy goods off the victim but needed to view a copy of his driver's licence. The victim sent him a photograph of the licence, at which point Hina immediately cut off all contact.

Hina applied for a Spark plan that came with an iPhone using the victim's driver's licence. The phone was sent to his home.

On November 25, he used the licence to apply for a finance card. He used the card to buy a Samsung Galaxy 7 phone, which he sold on Facebook, claiming it was an unwanted present.

Over the next few months Hina spent another $1975 using the card.

The victim found out about the fraud months later, when he was informed he had accumulated a large debt.

On November 29, Hina assaulted his partner after the two began arguing about the partner's father. At one point Hina picked up a vacuum cleaner pole and struck his partner across the arm.

His partner ran from the house with Hina giving chase, buthe was stopped by a member of the public.

Judge Cameron said this was not first time Hina had appeared before the court. "He has an unenviable history."

He sentenced Hina to six months' imprisonment and ordered him to pay $5988.52 in reparations.