Scott Morrison’s Bob the Builder nephew says he can’t remember whether he name-dropped his famous uncle to win at least three building contracts that he was paid for but never finished. Can he fix it? Reportedly, no, he can’t.
According to 9News, builder Mitchell Cole allegedly used “that fella from down under”‘s name to get a number of building jobs that he never completed. He has pleaded guilty to the court and is currently awaiting sentencing. It’s alleged that he owes over $100,000 to four clients.
According to A Current Affair, one of the text messages sent by him to a client apparently read: “It’ll be fine and finished before. I will just ask the PM to pass it haha.”
Cole was charged after victims revealed their stories in A Current Affair, with one of them, James McAll, telling the court that Cole had refused to repay him because he spoke out. It is the third time the man has been before the court for unfinished building jobs.
McCall told the program that Cole claimed, “he couldn’t work [and] had medical issues”. Cole however blames his behaviour on an addiction to cocaine, which he said he has been completely sober from for seven months and hopes will, per 9News, “wipe the slate clean”.
Back in 2019, Cole plead guilty to 17 cases of “unlicensed” and “uninsured” work to the Parramatta Local Court. According to one of his clients at the time, Fay Voyiatsis, he told them Scott Morrison was his uncle and showed them pictures of him and his extended family at Christmas. She allegedly paid him $56,000 for work that he never completed.
In a statement with 9News at the time, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: “Mitchell is my nephew by marriage and as a result occasionally attends family events.”
“However, that is the extent of contact I have with Mitchell. Mitchell, like anyone else, should be held fully accountable for any of his actions.”
Mitchell Cole could face jail time or significant fines and is expected to be sentenced on Tuesday.
