Dale Tristan Young and James Matthew Dawkins: School mates plead guilty to illegal betting on Australian of the Year awards

Two high school mates have pleaded guilty to placing bets on the Australian of the Year awards using insider information, labelling their actions “stupid and irresponsible”.

Dale Tristan Young, 39, and James Matthew Dawkins, 38, faced the Dandenong Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon after they were charged by the Australian Federal Police.

Young pleaded guilty to a charge of abuse of public office while Dawkins pleaded guilty to aiding, abetting, counselling, or procuring the abuse of public office.

Prosecutors told the court Young, who was working for Australia Post, was one of about 80 people given early access to the winners of the awards as part of his role to co-ordinate the printing of commemorative stamps.

In 2017, 2018 and 2019, he placed phone calls to Dawkins, with whom he went to high school, shortly after he was told the identities despite signing a non-disclosure agreement.

Each year Dawkins would go on to place multiple bets on the outcome across different betting platforms including Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, William Hill and BetEasy – netting a total of $13,302 which the two men split.

When Professor Alan Mackay-Sim was awarded the honour in 2017, the friends won $9363 from 20 bets.

The following year they received $2614 when Professor Michelle Simmons was named, and won $1325 when Dr Richard Harris and Dr Craig Challen shared the award in

The scheme was identified in a 2022 report that identified Dawkins was the most profitable player in the market, with 100 per cent success and netting a 430 per cent return.

His other bets on other events were “very much what one would expect from a recreational sports wager”, the prosecutor said.

The court was told Young’s phone was tapped last year after he’d been contacted by police, telling Dawkins; “sorry I dragged you into it but we both kinda f--ked up, didn’t we”.

Young’s lawyer, Stephen Schembri, told the court the father of twins was “extremely remorseful” and could not explain why he did what he did.

“He still cannot explain why he would act in such a stupid irresponsible way – he calls it the worst thing that he’s ever done,” he said.

“He’s no master criminal clearly, neither is Mr Dawkins.”

Dawkins’ lawyer Rahmin de Krester echoed the sentiment, saying his client “can’t give a good explanation for the conduct”.

He said the project manager wanted to take full responsibility for his actions and was experiencing feelings of guilt and shame.

The court was told the maximum penalty for the offences in the Magistrates’ Court was two years in jail and/or a $12,600 fine.

Prosecutors called on Magistrate Hugh Radford to impose a conviction and good behaviour bond, while both lawyers argued against recording a conviction.

Mr Radford adjourned sentencing to consider the matter, which will be brought back before the court at a later date.

AFP Detective Superintendent Glenn Todd said the agency was committed to disrupting financial crime using insider information.

“The misuse of official or privileged information erodes public trust in our institutions,” he said. “The consequences for those abusing positions of trust can be extremely serious.”