Confirming former Auckland real estate agent Aaron Carl Drever’s sentence of two years and two months imprisonment for fraud, the High Court said any appeal for a sentence reduction on grounds of good character failed because of his previous real estate history of unreliable, inaccurate and reckless behaviour.
Drever’s real estate licence was cancelled in November 2016 after being found guilty by Real Estate Agent’s Disciplinary Tribunal of professional misconduct: acting for both sides when there was a conflict of interest between buyer and seller, failing to properly account for advertising money and putting improper pressure on clients.
Subsequently, he was convicted in the District Court of two separate frauds. In December 2016, he arranged the sale of land then belonging to the Avondale Bowling Club in Auckland using a dummy company as purchaser and then immediately on-selling at a personal profit of $466,000. In September 2019, he bilked organisers of speedway events at Western Springs with a false invoicing scam collecting $101,000.
At sentencing, the trial judge said Drever’s promises of making full reparation are unlikely to be honoured. Drever was ordered to make partial reparation to his victims on release from prison; $50,000 to Avondale Bowling Club at $150 per week and $25,000 to Auckland Speedway again at $150 per week.
In the High Court, Justice Davison described Drever as being motivated by greed and financial gain with his offending being calculated and premeditated. Evidence was given of Drever suffering from mental health issues with a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity.
Drever v. Police – High Court (30.11.22)