A 26-year-old Ballarat man has been sentenced to 400 hours of community work for stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the distraught family of an allegedly murdered Victorian woman.
In September, Lachlan Morganti pleaded guilty to one count of theft after siphoning more than $60,000 from a GoFundMe fundraiser destined for Hannah McGuire’s mother, Debbie McGuire, to fund his severe gambling habit.
Remembered as a “bright” person with a “heart of gold”, the body of Hannah McGuire was found in a burnt out car at Scarsdale, south-west of Ballarat, in April this year.
Hannah McGuire, 23, was found dead inside a burnt-out vehicle near State Forest Rd in Scarsdale. (Supplied: GoFundMe)
Her former partner Lachlan Young has pleaded not guilty to the 23-year-old’s alleged murder, and will stand trial in the Supreme Court.
Family relived horror of losing daughter
On Tuesday morning, Morganti was accompanied by family members at the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court for sentencing.
Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz said the offending resulted in the “betrayal of trust and generosity of an entire community” who had given money in good faith to support the McGuire family.
She also noted Morganti’s actions resulted in the family being forced to relive the horror of losing their daughter as his offending was covered by the media.
“Your act has infringed on the McGuire’s ability to grieve in quiet and with dignity.”
The court heard Morganti set up the GoFundMe fundraiser in April on behalf of the McGuire family, to assist them with funeral and out-of-pocket expenses while they dealt with the trauma of their daughter’s death.
He knew the family through the Clunes Cricket Club and the Clunes National Hotel, which is owned by the McGuire family.
The fundraiser surpassed its initial target of $20,00 to $30,000, raising a total of $64,541.
Gambled away in five days
The court heard Morganti had the money transferred to his bank account and intended to pass the money on to Debbie McGuire.
But the 26-year-old gambled the entire amount within a five-day-period, intending to recoup losses from other gambling debts.
The court heard the fundraiser was set up with the intention of supporting the McGuire family, not to repay his debts.
The fundraiser had accumulated tens of thousands of dollars before being taken down. (Supplied: GoFundMe)
But once the money landed in his account, Morganti was unable to resist the urge to gamble the money away.
He also transferred $1,500 to two associates. Upon hearing the source of this money, the associates reported him to the police.
The court heard Morganti admitted to having a gambling problem, and in 2021, he sought help for his spiralling habit.
He also suffered from alcohol dependency, depression, and low self-worth.
In handing down her sentence, Magistrate Mykytowtycz said she accepted he had shown remorse and shame for his actions, but this did not excuse the offending.
Tributes were laid for Hannah McGuire outside the National Hotel. (ABC Central Victoria: Shannon Schubert)
She said he had no prior convictions and showed reasonable prospects of rehabilitation.
Morganti was convicted and sentenced to a two-year community corrections order, including 400 hours of community service.
