Fraudster set to turn star witness | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

A notorious fraudster who tricked Wairarapa families out of their homes is poised to become a crown witness in a $1.5 million Waikato fraud case.

Serving prisoner Leslie Ronald Orchard, branded by a judge as an incorrigible rogue, was yesterday jailed for a further 18 months and became the first scalp in Operation Allsorts.

The Allsorts investigation has so far seen 22 people including lawyers, managers and accountants charged.

Orchard was sentenced in Hamilton District Court on 11 charges of forgery, money laundering, using a document and conspiring with intent to defraud.

Defence lawyer Joseph Hamblett said his client's guilty plea in the Allsorts case and a 69-page deposition statement should be mitigating factors.

But Judge Robert Spear asked, "What jury in this country could possibly rely on Mr Orchard's evidence in relation to co-offenders?"

The convictions come on top of Orchard's 686 convictions for dishonesty in February last year when he was jailed for 7-1/2 years, reduced on appeal to six years' nine months.

The latest Allsorts charges relate family homes in Martinborough, Manaia, near Pahiatua and Tauwhare. Of the three families, two lost their homes.

Crown prosecutor Jacinda Foster told the court Orchard and his associates targeted those whose equity was tied up in their homes, but had little or no income and were under financial pressure.

Unable to borrow from first tier lenders, such as trading banks, they sought money through a mortgage broker, who was himself a member of the group.

The group took advantage of their victims by tricking them into signing sale and purchase agreements for their property. Funds were then raised from lenders for the purchase of the property.

However, none of those funds were ever credited to anyone other than members of the group.

Ms Foster described the offending as inventive and insidious.

Judge Spear accepted while Orchard was not the leader, he was a very willing first lieutenant.

"Your role was to impersonate others, sign documents and forge names to enable transactions to take place."

He referred to an earlier stint in jail where Orchard had cheated other inmates and successfully managed to have $9000 of clothing delivered to prison, charged to a credit card.

Mr Hamblett argued the offending behind the 11 charges was similar and related to the matters he was sentenced on last year and therefore didn't warrant any extra jail time.

But Judge Spear said this was extra offending and a longer sentence needed to be imposed. He sentenced Orchard to a further 18 months jail. Orchard will now be eligible for parole in early 2007.