Dubbo man who defrauded gambling companies receives jail term

Darren Kranias, 33, told colleagues he needed money for sick family members, but he gambled the money away.

In Dubbo Local Court he pleaded guilty to eight counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception and two counts of dishonestly publishing material that was false or misleading.

Magistrate Gary Wilson sentenced Kranias to a maximum aggregate term of 30 months in jail, with a non-parole period of 22 months.

Kranias was handcuffed and led away into custody, but later that day a notice of appeal was lodged with the District Court of NSW and he was released on bail.

In a matter the magistrate said he considered to be the most serious, Kranias had used a story of medical expenses to deceive one workmate into giving him a total of more than $140,000 across the course of 12 months.

In another set of matters, Kranias wrote valueless cheques to Tabcorp and Palmerbet enabling him to gamble the amount, resulting losses to the companies.

Kranias also had a scheme where he pretended to buy greyhounds and harness horses, attempting to defraud the vendors.

A solicitor representing Kranias said her client had a long history of major depressive disorder and a gambling disorder.

The offending conduct had occurred against a backdrop of great stress in the accused’s life, with him moving away from his parents to Dubbo, and financial pressures, she said.

It was not a case where greed or desire for an affluent lifestyle was the motivation, she said.

The defence submitted the offences fell below the mid-range level of seriousness and that the court could impose a sentence other than full-time custody.

The prosecution submitted the threshold for a jail term had been crossed.

On sentence, the magistrate said Kranias’s offending involved a degree of planning in a fraud perpetrated over 12 months, in which he took advantage of his work colleagues’ generosity.

The magistrate noted Kranias’s desire for rehabilitation, his seeking assistance to deal with his gambling addiction, and some money repaid to his workmate.

But Mr Wilson said he considered there was no alternative other than to impose a full-time custodial sentence.

Reparation orders to the victims were also made.

ALSO MAKING NEWS