Conveyancer skims stamp duty

PENSIONERS Rob and Judith Walters are living in a caravan in a barn because of the greed of disgraced conveyancer Ellen Hocking.

Mr Walters, 70, is reduced to tears recalling the forced sale of his home after being fleeced by Hocking.

He and 65-year-old wife Judith are among 17 victims from throughout the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston area who were ripped off by the conveyancer.

In July, Hocking, 45, admitted to 17 counts of deception totalling about $250,000, but police fear this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Now living in Frankston, she operated in both Somerville (from 2002 to 2004) and Mornington (2003 to 2006).

She will be sentenced at Melbourne’s County Court on December 10.

The Walters have now moved from a four-bedroom, two-storey home to a caravan in a barn and will have a small home built on a relative’s property later this year.

Mr Walters said he was forced to borrow money to pay for the stamp duty of $25,000 that was stolen by the conveyancer.

“Then we were forced to turn around and sell the property we had just bought to pay out what we owed,” he said tearfully.

“The title couldn’t be transferred to our name until the stamp duty was paid - for us a second time.

“The stress has resulted in me having a stroke.

“I have now lost so much confidence I cannot drive by myself.

“I have lost my faith in humanity and find it difficult to trust people. “It upsets me just to think about it,” Mr Walters said.

Sen-Constable Scott Hanley said although the couple had paid their stamp duty to Hocking, it had to be repaid to the State Revenue Office.

Somerville developer Paul Devaney lost $73,000.

The money was skimmed off property deals and home owners have been warned to check their property title to make sure their name is on it.

Frankston Leader newspaper