A man who found a bank card and used it on a $600 shopping spree told police he did not realise he was using the stolen card and had intentions to 'tell someone' when he realised but then forgot.
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Michael O'Grady, 49, found the card on the ground in a carpark in Lake Wendouree in July 2020 and used it to spend $655 at nine different stores.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Steve Repac said O'Grady told police once he realised he had used the stolen card to make the purchases, he planned to tell someone but never got around to doing so.
O'Grady said he put the card in the centre console of his car and then forgot about it.
Magistrate Jonathan Klestadt said he did not 'buy' the story O'Grady gave police 'for one second'.
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Defence lawyer David Tamanika said his client was a tiler, had a young child and partner and had not 'been in trouble' for a long time.
He said O'Grady used the stolen card in clear view of CCTV footage, with high chance he would be caught.
"I don't think there would have been a hope in hell nobody found out who this was and what happened," Mr Tamanika said.
Mr Klestadt said O'Grady clearly did not give the offending any thought at all.
"You found this card opportunistically and decided to make hay while the sun shines," he said.
"There is no attempt to obtain property which you could later on sell and I suspect when you realised what you had done you were appalled at your own stupidity."
O'Grady was convicted and fined $1250, double the value of the purchased items.
He pleaded guilty at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
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Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
