A Wollongong magistrate has said a Unanderra man who claimed police had been targeting him "deserves it" after a weapons check turned up over 1500 fake bank cards and the tools to use them for fraud.
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Magistrate Chris McRobert sentenced Rian Kinloch to the maximum penalty a Local Court can deliver after he pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing equipment to make identity information, possessing equipment to make false documents, two counts of possessing identity information and five counts of possessing stolen goods.
In a report prepared ahead of his sentencing, Kinloch, 32, told community corrections officers that he was being targeted by police in the lead up to his arrest on January 31.
This drew an incredulous response from Mr McRobert.
"For Kinloch to say the police have been targeting him, with his history, what does he expect?" he said.
"If they're paying more attention to Kinloch it's because he deserves it."
On this occasion, the police's interest in Kinloch uncovered an elaborate set up to create false bank cards, medicare cards and other identity documents which police said were for the purpose of committing fraud.
Early in the morning of January 31, 2023 police arrived at Kinloch's Unanderra address, where he lives with his mother, to conduct a weapons check as Kinloch is subject to a firearms prohibition order.
The unemployed man answered the door but then slammed it in the police's face when he realised who was ringing the doorbell.
Documents tendered to Wollongong Local Court state that police could then hear items being thrown around inside.
Police entered the home as Kinloch attempted to make his escape via an open window.
Police stopped Kinloch and put him in handcuffs.
Further inspection of the home found unstamped bank cards as well as drivers' licences - including one from Norfolk Island, Medicare, firearms, health care cards and bank cards in other people's names.
Officers declared a crime scene and took Kinloch back to Lake Illawarra police station.
After a search warrant was approved, police returned later that morning and conducted a further search, finding over 1500 fake blank bank cards. Police also found equipment used to make the fake bank cards, including a PVC card embosser stamping machine, a magnetic strip writer encoder, a digital card printer and a label card printer.
In Wollongong Local Court on Friday, Kinloch's lawyer Ben Hart said his client has a record that did not help him, but had been out of trouble for the past two and a half years.
Mr Hart said Kinloch's offending was driven by the people he associates with, but Mr McRobert questioned how this led to the situation police found in January.
"Making false bank cards is not something that happens on the spur of the moment," he said.
"Kinloch doesn't accidentally find himself in the possession of these bank cards."
While noting Kinloch's guilty plea the day after he was arrested, Mr McRobert did not give the man much leniency.
"Something I find quite troubling is there is nothing spontaneous about it," he said.
"He worked out what he wants to do and has everything he has to do it."
Appearing via video link from Parklea prison where he is awaiting further court dates in other matters, Kinloch partially covered his face with his green jacket as Mr McRobert sentenced him to two years in prison.
Backdated to his arrest, Kinloch will be eligible for release in January 2025.
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