Fraudster nets $130,000 from deaf community

BY IAN STEWARD

A deaf Christchurch fraudster who sent text messages pretending she was mortgage magnate Mike Pero defrauded more than $130,000 from Christchurch's deaf community.

Christine Doreen Ticehurst, 40, stole $84,000 from deaf couple Debra Jamieson and Michael King by pretending to assist them build a house.

Ticehurst has pleaded guilty to two charges of obtaining by deception and is due to be sentenced in the Christchurch District Court on March 8.

Ticehurst is thought to have at least 12 victims in the deaf community.

A former hairdresser, Ticehurst told the Jamiesons she knew a builder who could build them a cheap house and offered to act as intermediary.

The couple had money from the sale of previous homes and an inheritance from Jamieson's grandfather.

Letters from lawyers and a person purporting to be mortgage broker Mike Pero followed and progress payments were made.

Between August 2007 and May 2008, the Jamiesons deposited $84,260.

Text messages from "Mike Pero" assured the pair the building was continuing.

Ticehurst assured them their house was one of 13 being built and they could chose one once it was finished.

After almost two years the pair became suspicious.

At one stage Jamieson's parents, who can hear, offered to assist.

Jamieson said Ticehurst convinced her to reject their offer, saying it was a good chance to prove her independence.

"Christine said, `You're an adult, you don't need them'. She said, `Only tell them a little bit'," Jamieson said.

Tyson McDonald, 38, lost $16,400 to Ticehurst who he described as "like the Devil".

Through an interpreter he said: "I never thought a deaf person would do this."

McDonald said he had lent the money to Ticehurst who told him she had been in a vehicle accident.

When he was having difficulty being repaid, he discovered the text-messaged excuses he was receiving were from the same number as the alleged Mike Pero to the Jamiesons.

Ticehurst was confronted and tearfully confessed she had duped the Jamiesons.

"Her eyes were all swollen. She was crying and crying. She said, `I fooled you about the house, I fooled you'," Jamieson said.

"She said it three times, then she just walked off."

More lies followed about rich stepfathers giving her money to pay back McDonald and the Jamiesons but when these were uncovered police were called in.

Jamieson said the fraud had left them with nothing and the couple were left renting a house with their two children, aged 10 and three.

"We're poor, we've got no money. We've worked and worked so much. It's affected our mental state, it's been very, very hard.

"I feel so embarrassed that this has happened."

Police investigations of Ticehurst's bank accounts showed the money had been spent on drinking and poker machines, Jamieson said.

"Just rubbish, she just wasted it."

McDonald said they had found 12 members of the deaf community who had lent Ticehurst money.

The total amount she had gained was more than $130,000, he said.

Police have urged others to take civil suits against Ticehurst.

- © Fairfax NZ News