'Entrenched conman' jailed for 16 months

A Tauranga conman has been sent to jail for 16 months for his latest raft of double-dealings.

Kurt Bogaerd was on the run for not turning up to community work, dishonesty and traffic offences when he was finally locked up in New Plymouth on November 6 for his third drink-driving offence since April.

"You literally danced around the country one step ahead of authorities," Judge Allan Roberts told Bogaerd. "I suspect for a long time you have been living on your wits."

Defence lawyer Patrick Mooney said his client had been suffering from stress after his wife died early this year and had had time to think about where he was heading while in custody.

Bogaerd pleaded guilty to selling an XBox and accessories on Trade Me but never sending the goods, the three drink-driving offences in Tauranga, Thames and New Plymouth, helping himself to his former employer's $32,000 utility when he was told not to, and handing over a personal cheque to Colonial Liquor in Russell to buy alcohol when there were no funds in his bank and not turning up to community work.

In sentencing, the judge said Bogaerd had been sentenced for a number of dishonesty offences in the Waitakere District Court earlier this year.

"The stark reality is you have skipped out on that sentence serving none at all." In the past he had been sent to jail 132 times over 14 years, most of which were for dishonesty offences, the judge said. "You are probably now an entrenched conman."

In total Bogaerd was sentenced to 16 month's jail and his fines of $10,197 were remitted. He was also disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay reparation to the liquor store of $143.40 and $500 to his Trade Me X-Box victim.

- © Fairfax NZ News