THE barrister for a serial fraudster who scammed an elderly man out of $120,000 last year and defrauded the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has asked a judge not to impose a "crushing" sentence on her client.
Susan Diane Reed, 67, was set to be sentenced on Friday in Newcastle District Court, where the court heard she had pocketed close to $400,000 from both her prior lonely hearts scam and fraudulent NDIS claims.
Judge Donna Woodburne adjourned the matter to consider both the Crown and defence's arguments, both agreeing to some extent that Reed's age and "infirmities" would make her time in jail more difficult.
Reed's barrister Rebekah Court said she wouldn't quibble with the seriousness of the case.
"This is a person who is doing custody harder than another ordinary person with an infirmed lifestyle, it is adding to her ... hard experience in her term of imprisonment and I would ask that be taken into account by reason of hardship," she said.
Reed has pleaded guilty to a slew of fraud offences she committed while on bail for the lonely hearts scam, where she convinced a widowed 74-year-old man to send her tens of thousands of dollars.
Investigators found she had received 13 payments ranging from $8000 to $10,000 between June and November, 2020.
Police discovered those payments had been made using NDIS funds paid to a woman who falsely claimed she was providing care to Reed.
It turned out the scam was Reed's idea, recruiting the woman to take part in fraud and instructing her on how to open bank accounts, create false invoices and make the claims.
More than $239,000 in claims were submitted, $157,400 of which Reed told the woman to pay back to her.
Crown prosecutor Benjamin Scard said Reed's health issues didn't stop her offending.
"The offender has a very significant criminal history for dishonesty offences and there is a role here for specific deterrence," he said.
"The defence case is also scant on any evidence of genuine remorse of contrition."
Reed's matter returns to court next week.
