Artist faked honour awards to police
A Brisbane chalkboard artist who brazenly offered to create a mural honouring Queensland’s emergency services has been caught out faking top Australian honours.
Neville William Gentry, 52, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud and oneĀ of improper use of service decorations alongside other fake credentials.
Gentry was sentenced in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday to 80 hours of community service.
The artistās honours scam was uncovered when he contacted the office of the Queensland police commissioner offering to create an artwork depicting emergency service workers as a way to āgive back to the communityā.
When he met police to discuss the potential artwork, an officer noticed the artist was wearing a number of awards grouped together that were āunusualā.
In email exchanges, Gentryās email signature also claimed he had been awarded a number of honours, along with academic awards which he had never earned.
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Police said Gentry fraudulently claimed to be the recipient of the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) and other false academic credentials to attend several events while attempting to organise meetings for his artwork business.
The Order of Australia recognises achievement and service with nominations for the award coming from the community.
Gentry also allegedly made fraudulent claims during multiple interactions with customers between January and April, police allege.
āThe service and merit awards allegedly used in these matters hold significant value to all Australians, and it is important the integrity and merit of these accomplishments are upheld,ā police said at the time of his arrest.
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Several replica items, including lapel pins and medallions, were seized in a search of Gentryās home on April 30.
āHe has not earned any of these awards, but he has used them in his communications with other parties as a way of advancing and promoting himself and getting business,ā police prosecutor Tri Phan told the court.
āIt is dishonest and deceptive.ā
Senior Constable Phan admitted Gentry had effectively handed himself in to police when he offered to create the artwork.
When questioned, Gentry claimed to have applied for the awards online.
Legal aid lawyer Laura Manley said Gentry had not intended to deceive and had worn the awards to āget into and absorb the characterā he intended to create.
The artistās earnings have plummeted following the honours scandal, to an average of just $150 a week.
āIf he didnāt intend to deceive, what did he intend to do?ā magistrate Ann Gummow asked.
āI canāt see that any damage has been caused ā except to you.ā
The magistrate also ordered all evidence of his āfake personaā be stripped from his email signatures.
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