Lachie Chittenden – son of property magnate – used girl's stolen American Express card during Schoolies spending binge in Byron Bay

EXCLUSIVE

The teenage son of a property magnate used a schoolgirl's stolen American Express credit card to go on a wild vodka bender in Byron Bay during Schoolies Week.

But he never told his rich dad after he was arrested and charged – and his dad is unimpressed.

Lachie Chittenden, 18, son of former Colliers property director Peter Chittenden, bought 14 vodka drinks in just 29 minutes during a drunken frenzy.

But he used the stolen American Express card of another girl celebrating Schoolies Week who was a stranger to him after losing all his own money on the slots.

The former Scots College student – where fees amount to $48,6430 a year – pleaded guilty on Tuesday to the charge of dishonestly obtaining the 14 drinks by deception.

The case was heard at Moss Vale Local Court, near his family's $5.2 million, nine-bedroom, 67-hectare Willow Farm home in Berry, in the NSW Southern Highlands.

But the charges came as a surprise to his shocked father – who now runs his own property company Woodhill – when he was contacted by Daily Mail Australia.

Lachie Chittenden, 18, son of former Colliers property director Peter Chittenden, bought 14 vodka drinks in just 29 minutes during a drunken frenzy (father and son pictured together at a 2019 charity event)

Chittenden used a stolen American Express card from another girl celebrating Schoolies Week and collected a $156 bill within minutes at The Northern Hotel in Byron Bay

“I don't know anything about anything, which is very embarrassing, but on the other hand very disappointing,” Mr Chittenden senior told Daily Mail Australia.

'I'm very unhappy that I found out about it through you. I will attend to that immediately and that is all I can do.

'He's a young boy who does stupid things like that. There's no need for that, he has access to things he can do – that's just childishly stupid. He has money.'

He added: 'I don't want to have anything [further] because I don't want him to be punished for the rest of his life for one moment of extreme stupidity.

“I'll leave it at that.”

Chittenden, whose father is also a stock and station agent, listed his occupation as a farmhand and the home address he gave to police was confirmed by his father to Daily Mail Australia.

Court documents reveal Jemma Fricke was a complete stranger to Chittenden, but at the same time and place he was also celebrating Schoolies Week in Byron Bay.

Her driver's license and two bank cards were stolen from the pocket of her handbag at the Northern Hotel in Byron Bay on November 28, 2023, sometime after 9pm.

Police told the court Chittenden then bought a round of four vodka raspberries at the same hotel at 9.28pm, with a bill for $44.79, which he paid by tapping her card at the bar.

He then purchased two more identical rounds at 9:35 PM and 9:46 PM, before a final round of two more vodka drinks at 9:57 PM, for a total of $156.77.

But every time he used her card to pay for the drinks by tapping the bar's till, the court heard she received notifications about the payments on her phone.

The former student of Scots College – where fees run as high as $48,6430 a year – pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of dishonestly obtaining the 14 drinks by deception

Chittenden (pictured), who told police he was a farmhand, bought three rounds of four vodka raspberries and then a final round of two more during the 29-minute drinking binge

The case was heard at Moss Vale Local Court, near his family's $5.2 million, nine-bedroom, 67-hectare Willow Farm home in Berry in the NSW Southern Highlands (pictured)

Ms Fricke realized her cards were missing – and she didn't buy those drinks – so alerted security, who then used CCTV and receipts to trace it back to Chittenden.

They tracked down Chittenden and confronted him in the bar and found the stolen AmEx card in his shirt pocket.

Police were called to the scene and immediately arrested him for fraud before he told them he had 'consumed the drinks', adding: 'I did everything. I was stupid.

'I tapped the map. I spent all my money on the slots.'

He said “a guy” gave him the AmEx card, adding, “So I thought I'd take it.”

The case was originally heard at Byron Bay Local Court in January but was moved to Moss Vale Local Court during a hearing last week.

On Tuesday, Magistrate David Degnan received an email from Chittenden's lawyer pleading guilty to the single charge of dishonestly obtaining by deception.

The case was adjourned for sentencing at Picton Local Court on Friday.