A man traded three fake gold bars for an electric mountain bike valued at $7,500 in Batemans Bay. File photo. (Supplied: Perth Mint)
In short:
David Robert Meade has been given two years' good behaviour for trading fake gold bullion for an electric mountain bike.
His lawyer told the court he had "significant debts to drug dealers" at the time of the offending.
What's next?
He will now serve a two-year sentence in the community and has been ordered to pay a fine and $7,500 in compensation.
A man who traded fake gold bullion for a mountain bike in order to pay off debts to drug dealers will serve a two-year community correction order.
David Robert Meade appeared before Batemans Bay Local Court today, after he pleaded guilty in August to one count of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.
In November 2023, the 40-year-old contacted a man selling an electric mountain bike for $7,500 on Facebook Marketplace, and asked to trade the bike for three gold bullions.
Meade met the victim at their house the next day in Batemans Bay, bringing with him three gold bars in separate cases.
Court documents state each of the bars had a serial number and were branded with "Credit Suisse".
After the victim weighed each of the bars, which all came in as one ounce each, the trade was made and Meade left with an electric Norco Sight mountain bike.
The court heard Meade is currently on parole for a previous offence of a similar nature. (ABC News: Holly Tregenza)
In January 2024, the victim contacted Meade asking for the gold's authentication papers but he never received a response.
The victim kept the bars in a safe until November 2025, when he saw a social media post that identified Meade as someone who had previously sold fake gold bullion.
The victim then brought the gold to the police, where it was determined that the bars were fake.
'Not the same desperate man'
The court heard Meade is currently on parole for a previous offence of a similar nature and was released from custody.
His lawyer, Vanya Hampel, said that Meade was dealing with a methamphetamine and opioid addiction at the time of the offending and had "significant debts to drug dealers".
She went on to say that since being released from custody, he had completed his own rehab and was engaging in treatment, and he had found stable housing.
During sentencing, Judge Doug Dick acknowledged that he was part of Meade's previous sentencing but that the "man I'm looking at today is not the same desperate man I was looking at before".
The now-Queanbeyan local was given a two-year community corrections order and ordered to pay back the cost of the bike and a $1,500 fine.