The lawyer for a County Meath man who illegally obtained credit cards to live in luxury during a Queensland crime spree, has compared his crimes to Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis’ movie “The Hangover”.
Michael Hegarty (27), along with two other offenders, posed as the children of rich parents during a crime spree in Australia between October and December 2011.
His defense solicitor, Katherine Rolfe, told the court that while she did not want to ''make light of the situation, but you may be familiar with the film “The Hangover."
According to the Brisbane Times she said, ''Well this is the case of “The Hangover” gone wrong, and Mr Hegarty has borne the brunt of that.''
Earlier this week senior Constable Roy Brandi told Melbourne Magistrates Court that, before the group was arrested in Sydney and extradited to Melbourne, the men had stayed at the Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast and Hilton Surfers Paradise. He also said they had ran drunk through the foyer wearing balaclavas.
The group then traveled to Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island where they thrashed a golf buggy, while drunk. They were escorted off the resort.
The three men, Hegarty, Laurence Pawlaczyk (19) and Daniel Pike (20) lived lavishly hiring limousines, taking Qantas flights and eating well during their six-week crime spree.
Their crimes include using illegal credit card numbers they bought online for $9 each.
Hegarty’s defense lawyer maintains that he was the “weakest link” in the crime group, a naïve older man who they corrupted and “socially engineered”
Pawlaczyk has been sentenced to 103 days' jail while Pike and Hegarty will be sentenced next week.
9 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seanomelb | May 01, 2012, 08:55 PM EDT
Ned's Jerilderie letter is worth reading murph46,Ned also wanted to set up the republic of North Victoria
IrelandNorth | May 01, 2012, 05:51 AM EDT
Well whadya know. An Irishman abroad presenting with a rather pronounced 'Ned Kelly Syndrome (NKS)'. Give me Mick Jagger as the man himself, blazing guns 'n' dustbin armour plating anyday. And of course, a well manured beard for dramatic effect. Mr. Hegarty - get a personality!
seanomelb | Apr 30, 2012, 07:56 PM EDT
That's a bit heavy handed skydiver.You are right that interest on credit cards are high (20% in Australia)I bet the banks would not lower the rates if all credit card fraud ceased,they are legalised loan sharks.
skydiver15000 | Apr 30, 2012, 11:47 AM EDT
We will see how cool they are when they get gang raped by Donk and his jail gang!!! I hope they walk out of jail bowlegged llike something up their arses... the pretty boys!!! Stupid egits... this is why credit card companies have such high interest rates as well as insurance rates for such crimes... I really hope they get their arses reamed!!!!
BrianO | Apr 29, 2012, 12:36 AM EDT
There was a wild colonial boy.... sorry in advance steven twinkle twinkle.
seanomelb | Apr 28, 2012, 06:34 PM EDT
The news report must have been buried on page ten of the Melbourne "Sun Herald" it never made the news here.
GaelMcC | Apr 28, 2012, 06:08 PM EDT
So Hegarty is the victim, he bore "the brunt" of the movie. A movie brunbted him!!!! He was manipulated, what about the service providers he stiffed? Will they be repaid?
Curitiba | Apr 28, 2012, 08:42 AM EDT
So are the other two Aussies then?
EamonnDublin | Apr 28, 2012, 08:08 AM EDT
Good man yerself, Mick! I hope the Mammy is proud of you!