Part 1: Fraud offences Flashcards
Define obtain
Section 217, CA 1961
Obtain, in relation to any person, means obtain or refrain for himself or herself or for any other person
Define property
Section 2, CA 1961
Property includes real and personal property, and any estate or interest in any real or personal property, money, electricity, and any debt, and any thing in action, and any other right or interest
Define Service
R v Cara
Limited to financial or economic value
**Define pecuniary advantage
Economic or monetary advantage
HAYES V R
A pecuniary advantage is “anything that enhances the accused’s financial position. It is that enhancement which constitutes the element of advantage”
Define valuable consideration
Wider than just pecuniary advantage e.g. goods given in exchange for services
HAYES
“anything capable of being valuable consideration, whether of a monetary kind or of any other kind, in short, money or moneys worth
Examples of valuable consideration
- Monetary payment in return for goods or services
- Goods given in return for services provided
- Issuing a false invoice to receive payment for goods never supplied
Define ‘dishonestly’
In relation to an act or omission, means done or omitted without a belief that there was express or implied consent to, or authority for, the act or omission from a person entitled to give such consent or authority
HAYES V R
The question is whether the belief is actually held, not whether that belief is reasonable. However, reasonableness may be relevant as evidence on the issue of whether the belief was actually held:
Define “claim of right”
Section 2, Crimes Act 1961
Interpretation
claim of right, in relation to any act, means a belief at the time of the act in a proprietary or possessory right in property in relation to which the offence is alleged to have been committed, although that belief may be based on ignorance or mistake of fact or of any matter of law other than the enactment against which the offence is alleged to have been committed.
in relation to claim of right
What is the nature of belief required?
- Belief in a right to the property.
- Belief is in relation to the property in question
- The belief must be held at the time of the conduct alleged to constitute the offence
- Belief must actually be held by the defendant
Define takes
Section 219(4), Crimes Act 1961
Interpretation
For tangible property, theft is committed by a taking when the offender moves the property or causes it to be moved.
Define document
217 CA 1961
Includes part of a document in any form, and includes:
- Paper/ material containing anything that can be read
- Photos, negatives and related items
- Discs, tapes, cards or other devices/equipment on which information can be stored and can be reproduced
R v Misic
Define ‘attempts’
s72
everyone who
with intent to commit an offence
does or omits an act for the purpose of accomplishing his object
is guilty of an attempt
whether in the circumstances it was possible to commit the offence or not
*In “obtain by deception” what must you prove?
- There was an intent to deceive
- There was a representation by the defendant
-That the representation was false, and the defendant either:
knew it was false OR was reckless as to whether it was false
*Part (a) of the Cameron test is completely subjective. A “real possibility” is substantively the same as…
something that “could well happen”
*In part (b) of the Cameron test, if there there is some social utility in the actions of the defendant, whether those actions were reasonable will depend on:
“whether a reasonable and prudent person would have taken the risk”
Example of no social utility:
Game of ‘Russian roulette’
Example of high social utility:
Surgeon undertaking a risky but potentially life saving surgery
Define intent
intention to commit an act and intention to get a specific result
Example of deception orally
Verbally claiming to own goods that are in fact subject to a hire purchase agreement
Example of deception by conduct
Representing as a collector for charity by appearing to be carrying an official collection bag
Example of documentary deception
Presenting a false certificate of qualification/ completing a valueless cheque
*Under 240(2) what can a “representation” be?
Oral, documentary, conduct or by any combination thereof.
*In R v Waterfall, the court discussed that, as a general rule, silence or non disclosure will not be regarded as representation, but there are exception to this:
Where a incorrect understanding is implied from a course of dealing, and the defendant has failed to negate that incorrect understanding
What must the prosecution prove in knowledge of false representation?
Knew that the representation was false in a material particular or was reckless as to its falsity. Absolute certainty is not required.
Knowledge can be established by:
- an admission
- implication from the circumstances surrounding the event
- propensity evidence
What is a duty to disclose?
There was some material particular that was not disclosed, that the defendant was under a duty to disclose and failed to perform that duty
Define ‘device’
a plan, scheme or trick
Define ‘trick’
An action or scheme undertaken to fool, outwit or deceive
Define stratagem:
A cunning plan or scheme especially for deceiving an enemy, or trickery
Examples of a special right or advantage
- Using another person’s gym membership card so that you can use the gym facilities
- Access to medical services
- The withdrawal of an assault charge
- A reduction in sentence for an offence
What is the distinction between theft and obtaining be deception?
In theft the property is obtained without the owners permission and title is not passed on
What is a contract lien?
Right over another’s property to protect a debt charged on that property