Comm Games baton bearer sentenced over welfare fraud
Motivational speaker John Coutis OAM has been sentenced to five years jail, released immediately for welfare fraud.
A court has found the disability advocate did not declare more than $1.4 million in income as an international speaker over the last 12 years, while he was receiving the disability support pension.
It’s understood he was overpaid $130,000.
Several high profile Australians provided character references for the Commonwealth Games baton bearer, including Dawn Fraser and Phil Gould.
Coutis was sentenced to five years jail with immediate parole release in Southport Court today.
Why do the courts even bother? You are found guilty but with immediate release. What a waste of time and money.
Should have to pay back at least $100,000 of the money STOLEN from taxpayers +++ interest and stripped of his OAM, he’s a bloody disgrace .
Let him keep the pension money and hand over the 1.4 million.
I feel sad for this man. It shows that dishonesty doesn’t pay, when it comes to Centrelink fraud. I’m sure he will still have to pay back the whole overpayment.
Excellent.
Precedent set.
Time for some free money……..