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A Canberra mortgage broker who pleaded guilty to forging documents to exaggerate borrowers’ financial positions has avoided a jail sentence.
Kelvin Mark Skeers was yesterday handed a two-year good behavior bond and community service after Justice Malcolm Gray found him to be remorseful and regretful of his actions, The Canberra Times reported.
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The 47 year old had pleaded guilty to forging accountant letters to embellish seven clients’ financial circumstances and turn them into full-doc loans whilst working for ACT Mortgages between 2003 and 2005.
While Justice Gray spared the man from jail he couldn’t overlook the benefit (more than $7000 in commissions) Mr Skeers had obtained for himself, he said.
''Mr Skeers was in a position of responsibility whereby borrowers and lenders were relying on his integrity,'' Justice Gray said.
Peter White, FBAA presidential, condemned Mr Skeer’s behaviour and said it was exactly the sort of behaviour he hoped regulation would “stamp out”.
Mr Skeers was not affiliated with either of the MFAA or FBAA.
This is also not the first time the broker has found himself in court for his business practices.
In 2007, the Federal Court ordered Skeers to pay former client Aj Biega $32,000 in compensation after the broker falsified documents to arrange a $365,000 mortgage in 2004 for the then 20-year-old unemployed, dyslexic and homeless man.
