A West Gippsland livestock agent who pleaded guilty to cattle related fraud offences has been sentenced to six months in prison.
Nathan Gibbon, 50, of Lardner was sentenced yesterday in the County Court. Acknowledging the "seriousness" of his offending, Judge Justin Lewis sentenced Mr Gibbon to six months imprisonment followed by an 18-month Community Corrections Order including 100 hours of community work.
Mr Gibbon pleaded guilty to two charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception to the value of $234,705. The two charges related to receiving funds for export cattle from two separate companies after falsely declaring the cattle were vendor bred on properties at Longwarry and Drouin West.
Mr Gibbon also pleaded guilty to a third charge of handling stolen goods, which related to retaining and using a bobcat, valued at $78,000 on his property in 2022.
Defence counsel last month told the court Mr Gibbon's crimes were not motivated by greed or to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

Judge Lewis said the court had heard Mr Gibbon's offending had the pot