Paul Iera: Wollongong Tradie fakes her own kidnapping to hide affair with another woman from partner – before it all goes wrong
A trader who faked his own kidnapping so he could spend New Year’s Eve with a sex worker rather than her partner has narrowly avoided jail.
Paul Iera, 36, from Wollongong in New South Wales, was sentenced to a three-year community corrections order in Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to concocting a fanciful story to cover up his cheating.
The tiler was also ordered to pay more than $16,000 in compensation to New South Wales police who spent 200 hours investigating the hoax, according to the Illawara Mercury.
Iera left his home just before New Year’s Eve at 11.45pm on December 31, telling his partner he was going to meet his “financial guy” in Dapto, south of Wollongong.
Paul Iera (pictured), 36, from Wollongong in New South Wales, was sentenced to a three-year community corrections order in Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to concocting a fanciful story to cover his cheating.
However, her partner then received a text message claiming that Iera had been kidnapped.
The texts read: “(Iera’s partner’s name) it’s “(name)”, thanks for sending me Paul, now the reward is ab**** bye bye.
‘But I’m going to be fare (sic) OK, we’ll keep him with us until the morning when (sic) he gives us his bike we call him square, no one touches him my word I’ll give it to you darling OK’ .
Iera led his partner to believe he was being held hostage for a dirt bike worth $7,000.
Fearing for her well-being, she contacted the police.
Detectives immediately began investigating, with officers poring over CCTV cameras and speaking to witnesses.
The next morning, police conducted a “high-risk vehicle check” on Iera’s van, thinking he was being held hostage inside, but it was only him inside , according to The Star of Illawara.
Iera (pictured) led his partner to believe he was being held hostage over a $7,000 dirt bike when in reality he was spending the night with his mistress, a sex worker.
Iera then told police his wild lie that he had been captured by “unknown men from the Middle East.”
However, his story collapsed 12 days later after police found CCTV footage showing he spent the night with the sex worker’s mistress.
Magistrate Michael Ong reprimanded Iera’s “abhorrent behavior”.
“You chose to send alarming and frightening messages to your partner so that you could spend extra time with another partner,” Mr Ong said.
“You thought this would be a great way to do it. Any reasonable person would have gone to the police and that is exactly what happened.
Iera must also undertake 350 hours of community service. He was fined and given a concurrent community order for three unrelated charges relating to possessing unauthorized weapons and ammunition.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Iera for comment.
