A Wangaratta man swindled more than $50,000 from a friend after he was given his phone to hand to police, a court has heard.

The 37-year-old appeared at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court last week to plead guilty to a charge of obtaining funds by deceit.

The court heard the two became friends in Kerferd in 2023, and the victim would regularly lend money to the accused.

In June 2024 the victim wanted the defendant to hand his phone over to the police, claiming he knew about an upcoming terrorist attack on Australia.

He gave the accused $1800 to do this, but the phone never made it to the police.

Over the next three days, the Wangaratta man instead transferred $53,503 of the victim’s money into his own bank account.

The court heard the money was either spent on online gambling or went to the accused’s partner.

Defence counsel Marcel White said his client had experienced psychological issues throughout his life, which had been exacerbated by drug use.

Mr White said his client accepted he could be looking at a jail term.

Magistrate Ian Watkins adjourned the matter for a deferred sentence on 2 April at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court.