EXCLUSIVE
The drug-addicted son of Ita Buttrose’s niece used stolen credit card details to pay for a luxury holiday and then fled on a waiting getaway plane when he was rumbled.
Andrew Spira, 25, second cousin of the ABC chair, was caught when the credit card owner saw the booking transaction at the Mala Retreat in NSW’s Hunter Valley.
But when hotel boss Adrian Roach confronted him and an alleged accomplice, they ran away in a taxi to nearby Cessnock Airport and flew away on a plane.
They were later arrested in the Northern Territory on a series of similar charges when budding entrepreneur Spira tried to flee the country with a fake passport.
Spira’s mother is Ita Buttrose’s niece, socialite and former Real Housewives of Sydney reality TV star Lizzie Buttrose, 54.
Spira, who founded lending company Pineapple Funding, checked into the chic bed and breakfast in Louth Park after booking online for $417.05 for a single night.
A court was told that Mr Roach had previously taken a call on Thursday, May 18, 2023, from a man who wanted to make a booking ‘for his daughter’.
Andrew Spira (pictured) used stolen credit card details to pay for a luxury holiday, then fled on a waiting plane when he was compromised
Spira is the great-nephew of ABC chairman and media mogul Ita Buttrose
The mystery caller was told to use the company’s booking website and moments later a reservation was made in the name of his alleged accomplice.
At about 8pm, Spira arrived at the 5-star accommodation in the heart of the Hunter wine country and was caught on CCTV unpacking.
That night, Spira’s alleged accomplice arranged to extend their stay for another night at a cost of $567.05, which was charged to the same credit card.
“Around 11am on Friday, the victim (Mr Roach) noticed the additional payment had been declined,” police told Sydney’s Downing Center Local Court.
Mr Roach inquired about the matter and Spira’s alleged accomplice “apologized and informed the victim that she would arrange payment”, the court was told.
However, later that day, Mr Roach received a call from Anita Fenton, the owner of the credit card, who told him it had been used fraudulently to make the booking.
The resort boss immediately called the police, but before they could show up, Spira and his alleged accomplice had fled the scene.
“Spira (and his alleged accomplice) left the location in a private taxi where they boarded a plane at Cessnock Airport,” police told the court.
“(They) were later arrested in the Northern Territory in connection with similar matters.
‘As a result of this arrest and subsequent investigation by NT Police officers, a mobile phone belonging to Spira was seized and downloaded.
‘This phone download contained messages between Spira and another unknown entity whereby Spira obtained Anita Fenton’s bank account details, which were later used to pay for the accommodation.’
NSW police were unable to question Spira about the B&B fraud after he was arrested and held in custody in the NT for traveling there using fraudulent credit card details and attempting to flee the country with a fake passport.
NSW Police were unable to interview Andrew Spira (pictured) about the B&B fraud after he was arrested and held in custody in the NT for traveling there using fraudulent credit card details and attempting to flee the country with a fake passport
Spira checked into the luxury bed and breakfast in Louth Park after booking online for $417.05 for a single night
Andrew Spira’s lawyer Samir Karnib (pictured with Spira outside court) said the Hunter Valley incident occurred while he was suffering from a “drug-induced psychosis” at the time.
He was held in prison for three months before pleading guilty to a series of charges in Darwin, including obtaining financial advantage by deception, dealing in identity information, possession of a false document and using an unlicensed firearm.
Defense lawyer Jon Tippett told the court in Darwin that Spira was addicted to the drug diazepam and was “a truly sick person” who had made “disturbed” choices.
He was given an 18-month good behavior bond and ordered to pay nearly $39,000 to private jet company AVCAIR.
But last month he was also convicted in Sydney at Downing Center Local Court for his $984.10 B&B fraud and given a 12-month community corrections order.
His lawyer Samir Karnib had previously said the Hunter Valley incident occurred while he was suffering from a “drug-induced psychosis”.
Spira is appealing the sentence in court, which will be heard next month, while he also faces further assault charges in May in relation to a separate incident in Sydney, which he denies.