A MAN with more than 140 fraud offences to his name has had his time behind bars slashed after the court heard he scammed a local victim to fund his costly drug habit.
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Jamie Michael Light, 47, appeared via video link from custody in Tamworth District Court on Thursday when he appealed the severity of his two-year jail sentence.
Light had earlier pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception after taking out a phone number in his dad's name and making "bogus calls" in Quirindi to sell goods that never existed.
His victim lost $3700 in the scam.
Light gave evidence he wanted to go to rehabilitation, claiming he had been injecting nearly $1000 worth of the drug ice daily, and that he had suffered from drug addictions since a family tragedy nearly 19 years ago.
"I've been in jail too many times and it's really doing my head in," he told the court.
He said he was only thinking of himself when he carried out the scam but now realised people didn't deserve to be ripped off.
"I needed drugs and I didn't know what else to do," he said.
"Nearly every night I cry in my sleep ... I do feel bad for the victims but the drugs came first.
"I don't want to do it no more ... I really do need help."
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Legal Aid solicitor Wendy McAuliffe said Light could have support while on parole.
"The argument is simply that he is a man that needs rehabilitation," she said.
She submitted the planning involved was not sophisticated because it could really only end one way - for police to link the calls to Light's father, then onto him.
Solicitor Matthew Kilkeary for the Crown argued the two-year jail term was within the appropriate range.
Judge Andrew Coleman said the "horrific" record showed Light's problems with fraud-related offending pre-dated his "supposed drug addiction".
The court heard it was his 147th or 148th offence of the same type.
Judge Coleman said he had trouble accepting aspects of Light's evidence but was willing to give him an opportunity to get help after leaving custody.
He allowed the appeal, imposing a sentence of one-year-and-six-months, taking into account a discount for Light's early guilty plea. He will be eligible for parole in March next year.
He warned Light not to expect leniency or mercy if he ignored orders.
"Thank you very much," Light replied.
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Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
