A cowboy builder who defrauded over half a million dollars and spent it on the pokies has been jailed.
Unlicensed Queensland builder Mark Anthony Webster was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison last week after being found guilty of defrauding small businesses out of $611,000.
The bankrupt fraudster was remanded in custody since his last court appearance after failing to appear at the previous four sentencing hearings.
He pleaded guilty to nine charges at Gold Coast’s Southport District Court last week, including fraud, failure to disclose bankruptcy and dealing with another entity’s identity.
In the five years leading up to 2021, Mr Webster defrauded 11 businesses across south-east Queensland after being contracted to complete shop fit-outs for restaurants and retail stores using a false business name, ABN and QBCC number.
There is also a warrant outstanding across the border in New South Wales when, following his Queensland arrest in 2021, he was convicted of scamming another business out of $44,600.
The court was told Mr Webster had pressured owners into making payments for the non-completed work, which he spent on an alcohol and gambling addiction, which included up to eight beers at the pub followed by two six-packs at home.
Victims won’t recover funds
Two of those victims, Chotikrit Luebandidkul and Patchamon Pisuttisopon, were forced to sell their Thai restaurant business after paying Mr Webster $65,013 for a shop fit-out that barely started before the disgraced builder began ignoring their calls.
The pair then took out a loan to pay another builder to complete the works; however, they could not afford repayments, eventually calling time on the venture.
They have now been told they will not recover any of the money they have lost during the ordeal after Judge Deborah Holiday found Mr Webster would not be able to pay restitution to eight of the businesses involved.
The couple were left “disappointed” by the sentence, with Webster eligible for parole in just two years.
