Issue Date:  -  Friday, 30 April 2004

Conman carpeted

Through inter-departmental and interstate co-operation, carpet conman David Stranaghan has finally been caught.

The itinerant carpet cleaner was released from Police custody in Cairns yesterday after paying $16,804 in fines and related orders imposed by a Western Australian court three and half years ago.

At the time of the offences, Mr Stranaghan of Queensland was operating in Perth as Stuart’s Cleaning Services.

In March 2000 Mr Stranaghan and an associate approached residents of WA retirement villages offering to clean their carpets for cheap rates. They then used stand over tactics to obtain payments as high as $3,700 for less than an hour’s work.

The WA Police Service and the Department, with strong support from consumers and the media, helped drive the conman out of WA within days of commencing operation.

In May 2000 the Queensland Office of Fair Trading located Mr Stranaghan and served summonses on behalf of the Commissioner.

He was ordered to appear in Perth Court of Petty Sessions on 24 October 2000 on 24 charges of breaching the Door-to-Door Trading Act. Mr Stranaghan failed to appear.

In his absence he was convicted on all 24 charges and ordered to pay $23,000 including $6,800 in restitution to his victims. He disappeared and failed to pay the fine.

On 4 April this year Mr Stranaghan was arrested by QLD Police in relation to the outstanding WA fines. To obtain his release and avoid a court appearance today, Mr Stranaghan paid $16,804 yesterday to the Cairns Magistrates’ Court.

"This conman showed total disregard for his elderly victims, some of whom have Alzheimers", Consumer Protection Commissioner Patrick Walker said.

"We will now see what we can do to recover the $6,800 the court originally ordered to be repaid to the four elderly victims."