Matthew David Perrin

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Matthew David Perrin was convicted after a jury trial of serious dishonesty offences—three counts of forgery/uttering, three counts of forging documents with intent to defraud, and three counts of fraud—for forging his wife's signature on mortgage documents to fraudulently induce the Commonwealth Bank to lend money, with ultimate loss around $9 million. He was sentenced to eight years imprisonment. QCAT found professional misconduct and, given his convictions demonstrated a propensity for dishonesty and probable permanent unfitness, recommended his name be removed from the roll and ordered him to pay costs on a standard basis.

Duties found breached:

• Personal probity and fitness to practise

Aggravating factors:

• Serious dishonesty offences of forgery and fraud
• Conduct was wilfully deceitful and engaged in for personal benefit
• Loss to Commonwealth Bank in vicinity of $9 million
• Mature businessman at time of offending
• Offences struck at the heart of commercial integrity
• Head sentence of eight years imprisonment

Mitigating factors:

• Did not oppose the application and consented to orders
• Offences not committed in the course of practising as a lawyer
• Had not held a practising certificate since 30 June 2005