PHOTO: Sarah Dougan, former director of Belle Property Byron Bay
🏠 Former Belle Property Director Loses Appeal, Must Face Sentencing in Australia
A woman scammed in a Byron Bay real estate fraud case says she’ll travel from Queensland to Sydney to see the real estate agent responsible sentenced in person.
Sarah Dougan, former director of Belle Property Byron Bay, has lost her bid to be sentenced remotely from the United States. The NSW Supreme Court has ordered her to return to Australia, where she faces a likely custodial sentence for fraud involving over $500,000 in missing funds.
Robyn Quickenden says she will travel to Sydney to look Sarah Dougan in the eye if the real estate agent appears in court. (ABC News: Elloise Farrow-Smith)
😢 “It Changed the Trajectory of My Life” – Victim Still Haunted by the Crime
Robyn Quickenden, a retired nurse, lost a significant portion of her savings when she sold her home through Dougan’s franchise in 2011.
“It affected my mental health… I was on my own, trying to get the money back,” Quickenden said. “It changed the trajectory of my life.”
Quickenden’s funds were among the $540,000 misappropriated from Belle Property Byron Bay’s trust account. Although she was later reimbursed through the NSW Department of Fair Trading’s insurance scheme, the emotional toll remains.
“I want to look her in the eye,” she said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfNeF3O08oQ
👩⚖️ Court Rejects Plea to Be Sentenced Remotely from USA
Dougan fled to the United States in 2013 and pleaded guilty to fraud charges in 2020 and 2021. She claimed she was unable to return to Australia due to being a mother of five and the CEO of a company with 70 staff.
Her request to appear via audiovisual link was rejected by Magistrate Peter Feather, who cited the serious nature of the charges and the likelihood of imprisonment:
“There is a real prospect of the accused serving a sentence of imprisonment… Sentencing will be more appropriately undertaken in person.”
Dougan’s second appeal in 2025 to appear remotely has also failed.
💸 Belle Property CEO Backs Victims, Calls Out Betrayal of Trust
Peter Hanscomb, Group CEO of Belle Property, supported the court’s decision.
“I’m quite happy to see her held to account,” he said. “She was highly recommended when she joined, but concerns were raised quickly and she was removed from the franchise within a week.”
Dougan previously worked with LJ Hooker before securing the Byron Bay franchise in 2010, just as the local property boom was beginning.
🌊 Byron Bay Real Estate Hit by Multiple Scandals
The Dougan case is not Byron Bay’s first high-profile real estate fraud. In 2019, Nicolette van Wijngaarden, founder of Unique Estates, was jailed for embezzling $3.6 million from client trust accounts between 2016 and 2018.
She received a three-year, six-month prison sentence for her role in that luxury property scandal, further tarnishing the town’s high-end property market.
✈️ NSW Fair Trading: “It’s Time to Face Justice”
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann welcomed the Supreme Court ruling:
“The defendant pleaded guilty to serious charges involving a significant amount of money being held in trust for consumers. Sentencing must occur in NSW and in person.”
“Our persistence sends a clear message: real estate fraud will be pursued, no matter how long it takes.”
🗣️ Victim’s Message to Dougan: “You Don’t Get to Walk Away”
Despite the years that have passed, Quickenden says justice must still be served.
“I feel sorry for her because she has kids. But that doesn’t allow you to walk away from what you did.”
SOURCE: ABC