Man posed as lawyer, doctor

Press, 13 March 1985, Page 30

Man posed as lawyer, doctor

PA Tauranga A man who posed as a Housing Corporation lawyer, and a doctor to receive money was called “cold, callous, calculating, and mean” in the District Court at Tauranga. Judge Wilson said this when sentencing Jordan William Cross, aged 46, to three years jail. Cross, unemployed, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to nine charges relating to false pretence between August, 1983, and August, 1984. He.admitted posing as a Housing Corporation lawyer three times and under false pretence receiving $lB3O. He also posed as an insurance home adviser and received $1400; as a doctor and

received $2OO, as a Housing Corporation officer and received $3400; and as a Social Welfare officer and received $2OOO. The offences were committed in Auckland and Wellington. “You have one of the worst records I have had the misfortune to see,” the Judge said. “You tried to benefit from other people’s misfortunes. You took particular note of your ethnic background and those people were willing to trust you.” Mr Tony Balme, for Cross, said his client had a tragic and sorry history of offending. His explanation for the crimes was a need for money.