Possess counterfeit money

Legislation: Crimes (Currency) Act 1981 (Cth) s 9(1)(a)

Maximum penalty: 10 years imprisonment (natural persons); 500 penalty units (body corporation)

Period: 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2023

Jurisdiction: Magistrates' Court

Charges

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Cases

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All outcomes

Males

Females

Aged 18 to 24

Aged 25 to 54

Aged 55 and over

*Note: unavailable options have under 10 cases

Charge data

In the Magistrates' Court, 454 charges of possess counterfeit money were sentenced in the five years to 30 June 2023. The most common sentence for a charge of this offence was a fine with conviction (55.9% or 254 charges).

On SACStat, a charge is a single count of a sentenced offence. Charge data is most useful in understanding how a specific crime is usually sentenced.

Case data

In 73 cases sentenced in the Magistrates' Court in the five years to 30 June 2023, possess counterfeit money was the principal proven offence (the most serious crime in the case). Among the 73 cases, 56 people were male and 17 people were female. The most common outcome for cases was a fine with conviction (71.2% or 52 cases).

A case is a collection of one or more charges against a person or company sentenced at the one hearing. Case data is most useful in understanding the total sentence usually imposed on people found guilty of a particular crime.

Bar graph showing sentence types imposed for charges of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 1**: Sentencing outcomes for all charges of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 454 charges**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths for charges of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 2**: Imprisonment lengths for charges of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 40 charges**

Bar graph showing lengths of community correction orders for charges of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 3**: Community correction order lengths for charges of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 32 charges**

Bar graph showing fine amounts for charges of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 4**: Fine amounts for charges of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 166 charges**
**Note**: The graph only includes fines that were not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate fines).

Stacked bar graph showing sentences imposed each year for charges of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 5**: Sentencing outcomes for all charges of possess counterfeit money by financial year
**Number: 454 charges**

Bar graph showing the number of charges each year for the offence of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 6**: Number of charges of possess counterfeit money by financial year
**Number: 454 charges**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths each year for charges of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 7**: Average imprisonment lengths for charges of possess counterfeit money by financial year
**Number: 40 charges**
**Note**: The graph only includes imprisonment that was not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate imprisonment).

Bar graph showing community correction order lengths each year for charges of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 8**: Average community correction order lengths for charges of possess counterfeit money by financial year
**Number: 32 charges**

Bar graph showing fines amounts each year for charges of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 9**: Average fine amounts for charges of possess counterfeit money by financial year
**Number: 166 charges**
**Note**: The graph only includes fines that were not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate fines).

Bar graph showing sentence types for all offenders for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 10A**: Sentencing outcomes for all people for cases of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 73 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for male offenders for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 10B**: Sentencing outcomes for males for cases of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 56 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for female offenders for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 10C**: Sentencing outcomes for females for cases of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 17 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged under 25 for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 10D**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged under 25 for cases of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 13 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged 25 to 54 for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 10E**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 25 to 54 for cases of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 59 cases**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 11**: Imprisonment lengths for cases of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 10 cases**, including imprisonment only (10 cases), imprisonment with a recognizance release order where the person is released immediately (0 cases), and imprisonment with a recognizance release order where the person is released after serving some time in prison (0 cases).

Bar graph showing fine amounts for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 13**: Fine amounts for cases of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 52 cases**

Stacked bar graph showing sentences imposed each year for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 15**: Sentencing outcomes for all cases of possess counterfeit money by financial year
**Number: 73 cases**

Bar graph showing the number of cases each year for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 16**: Number of cases of possess counterfeit money for all people by financial year
**Number: 73 cases**

Bar graph showing the average imprisonment length each year for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 17**: Average imprisonment lengths for cases of possess counterfeit money by financial year
**Number: 10 cases**

Bar graph showing fines amounts each year for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 19**: Average fine amounts for cases of possess counterfeit money by financial year
**Number: 52 cases**

Bar graph showing age groups of offenders for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 21A**: Ages of offenders (where age is known) for cases of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 73 cases**

Bar graph showing gender of offenders for cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 21B**: Gender of offenders (where gender is known) for cases of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 73 cases**

Bar graph showing the number of charges in cases of possess counterfeit money — **Figure 21C**: Number of charges per case (of any sentenced offence) for cases of possess counterfeit money
**Number: 73 cases**