A decorated former detective who lied on his resume to con a local council into paying him almost half a million dollars, before managing to trick Victoria's public watchdog into giving him a job, has managed to avoid jail.
Peter Ravenscroft was sentenced to a community-based order in the County Court of Victoria for hoodwinking Frankston City Council, which employed him as a manager after he claimed to be a high-ranking inspector with the National Crime Squad in the United Kingdom.
He worked at the council for more than two years, where he was paid $456,038.
The 56-year-old also managed to trick the Victorian Ombudsman, which paid him $196,857 in salary and superannuation.
Judge Angela Ellis told Ravenscroft his crimes were "probably entirely unnecessary".
"In order to secure yourself employment, you not only exaggerated your experience, you blatantly lied," the judge said.
"Deceiving prospective employers with such deliberate and calculated lies is appalling behaviour indeed.
"You were a genuinely well-decorated police officer whilst you were in the United Kingdom.
In 2007, Ravenscroft moved to Australia from the United Kingdom, where he was a detective constable with the Sussex Police.
The court heard Ravenscroft was an "exemplary" police officer who was commended for his determination and received a Certificate of Merit for his work targeting prolific drug-dealing networks.
Diploma listed from a university that does not exist
After arriving in Victoria, he worked for the now-defunct Office of Police Integrity and then the Department of Treasury and Finance before applying for a job at Frankston City Council in 2012.
But that is where his deception began.
In his application, Ravenscroft fibbed about his experience, brazenly claiming that he was a detective inspector in the prestigious National Crime Squad, was a fellow at Leeds University and earned a Bachelor of Education from Aston University.
"I served as a detective inspector in the United Kingdom Police Service. During my 20 years' service, 15 was with the National Crime Squad," his cover letter said.
He also lied about receiving diplomas from the Australian Institute of Management and Brighton University and Guildford University in the United Kingdom.
"Investigators discovered that Guildford University does not exist," the judge said.
In 2015, Ravenscroft applied for a job as the assistant director of strategic investigations at the Victorian Ombudsman, which is the public sector watchdog.
The court heard he lied to the ombudsman and did not disclose that there was still an ongoing investigation into his behaviour at the council.
He also made up a fictional referee who he claimed was his supervisor.
Ravenscroft 'ashamed' of offending, court hears
Ravenscroft was arrested in 2020 and later charged with obtaining financial advantage by deception and perjury.
He told investigators he had acted in some senior police roles while in the United Kingdom and had attended some universities remotely.
Investigators later contacted Sussex Police, which found no records of Ravenscroft acting in senior positions.
"You stated that you were not trying to deceive anyone when submitting your applications," the judge said.
Judge Ellis told Ravenscroft that he could have obtained employment without lying.
"You clearly have been able to perform at least one of those roles more than capably, which is what makes your offending all the more inexplicable," she said.
The court heard he felt an "urgent need" to impress recruiters.
"You at that time had arrived in Australia with a young family, you wanted to provide a home to them and to enjoy a successful career," Judge Ellis said.
"Therefore, when it came to your application with the Frankston City Council, and then the ombudsman, you felt that it was too late and you embarked on the practice of providing false qualifications."
The court heard Ravenscroft was "ashamed" of his behaviour.
Ravenscroft was convicted and placed on a two-year community-based order.
He was also ordered to get mental health treatment and complete 180 hours of unpaid work.
