Telling pies: Woman lied about apple pies to get a refund

A South West woman has been fined $1000 after she lied about buying apple pies to receive a refund she was not entitled to. Alison Oakey, 45, was charged with one count of gains benefited by fraud in Bunbury Magistrates Court last Thursday after pretending she had made a purchase from Donnybrook Fruit Barn that she was dissatisfied with. On June 18 Oakey called The Fruit Barn in Donnybrook claiming she was dissatisfied with four family-sized apple pies she had purchased. She then went into the store and was captured on CCTV discussing and receiving a refund from the cashier of $56. However, Oakey had made no such purchase, and had made up the story about the apple pies. She later handed herself in and pleaded guilty, with the court being told she “knew she did the wrong thing”. “I got a refund when I shouldn’t had,” Oakey told the court. Magistrate Tanya Watt gave Oakey a discount during sentencing, recognising that she did take the earliest chance to plead guilty, but that wasn’t enough to spare her all together. “This is serious because it was planned,” Magistrate Watt said. Owner of the store at the time John Sheehan said the story is now a joke between staff and locals. “The lady who did it (gave out the refund) now works the coffee window, and the police swing by and say ‘I’d like a refund please,’” he said. Mr Sheehan was also shocked that the woman offered to pay back the $56 she obtained from the scam back in June, but only did so recently. “She rang me back straight away and said she’d pay it, but she’s only just paid that about a month ago.” Oakey was given a $1000 fine suspended over 12 months.