• Aussie man Paul Iera fakes kidnapping to avoid New Year’s Eve with partner.
• Court orders Iera to pay A$16,218 to compensate NSW police.
• Wollongong magistrate calls Iera’s motive the “least compelling reason.”
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Australian man Paul Iera, hailing from Wollongong in New South Wales, has been ordered to compensate the police after orchestrating a fake kidnapping scheme.

His motive? To spend New Year’s Eve with another woman rather than his partner.

The 35-year-old has been directed by a court to pay A$16,218 (£8,506; $10,334) to NSW police for their investigative efforts.

The Wollongong magistrate was astounded, noting that Iera’s motivation was “the least compelling reason he has ever come across.”

On December 31, 2022, Iera sent a fabricated text message to his partner, posing as his kidnappers and claiming they would hold him “until the morning.”

This prompted his partner to contact the Lake Illawarra district police. They located Iera the following morning in his van in his hometown of Dapto.

The investigation into Iera’s bogus kidnapping claim consumed over 200 hours of police work and incurred expenses of $16,218, which covered wages and obtaining phone records, as reported by local media.

Initially, Iera had falsely claimed he was abducted by a group of unknown Middle Eastern men and then released.

Subsequently, in January, he was arrested and charged with making a false accusation with the intent to subject another person to investigation, a charge carrying a potential seven-year prison term.

However, Iera avoided jail time and was instead issued a three-year community correction order, coupled with 350 hours of community service and the requirement to compensate the police.

Additionally, he pleaded guilty to three unrelated charges involving possessing an unauthorized firearm, a prohibited weapon without a permit, and ammunition without a license.

Magistrate Michael Ong strongly condemned Iera’s actions, describing them as “abhorrent,” as reported by Australian outlet 9News. Abbas Soukie, Iera’s lawyer, expressed satisfaction at avoiding incarceration.