TikTok inspired Victorian couple to counterfeit money, Mount Gambier court toldBy Eugene BoisvertABC South East SATopic:Courts29m ago29 minutes agoThu 1 May 2025 at 7:55amKeanna Morrison and Craig Batten admitted to making and using counterfeit money. (Supplied)In short:Craig Batten and Keanna Morrison printed counterfeit $50 and $100 bank notes and used one at a petrol station in Mount Gambier.They will both spend five months in jail for the offending.What's next?Batten and Morrison are wanted for other crimes in Victoria.abc.net.au/news/tiktok-inspired-couple-to-counterfeit-cash-court-hears/105240574Link copiedShareShare articleA Victorian couple has been jailed for printing money and using it at a petrol station after getting the idea from TikTok.Craig Batten, 45, and his partner, 29-year-old Keanna Morrison, were sentenced in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court to five months behind bars for making $750 in cash and using a $100 note at a petrol station in Mount Gambier in January.Batten told the writer of a pre-sentencing report that he had came up after watching a video on social media."He stated that he had seen a TikTok video of someone photocopying cash notes and he decided to try it as it looked very easy," Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos told the court.She said Morrison's reason for the offending was similar."She stated … the counterfeit money was initially used as a prop in video contents that they were making, and they also needed to fill up the car with petrol and decided to pay with the counterfeit money knowing that it was not actually money," Magistrate Kossiavelos said.A staff member at the petrol station noticed the crime after the pair had left. (ABC South East SA: Eugene Boisvert)Lengthy criminal historyBatten and Morrison admitted to using a fake $100 note at the OTR petrol station on Penola Road in Mount Gambier on January 2 to buy $34 in fuel.They were arrested at a local shopping centre on January 4.Police found a laptop, a printer and other equipment used to create the clear windows on bank notes and $650 in unfinished $50 and $100 notes inside their vehicle.Magistrate Kossiavelos said the crime was "serious" but that most counterfeiting cases involved much more sophisticated operations that created larger amounts of fake money.But she said Batten had "one of the worst histories" of offending she had ever seen, which involved dozens of offences dating back to 1999.Batten and Morrison had long criminal histories, the court heard. (ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham)Morrison was on a community corrections order from Victoria at the time of the offending for charges including fraud and burglary.He was not permitted to travel interstate.Magistrate Kossiavelos sentenced both to two months in jail for using the fake $100 note and three months for making the notes.Batten was also sentenced to an additional three months and two weeks behind bars for driving offences, including for the 17th time he had been caught driving while disqualified.Batten and Morrison are wanted in Victoria and Batten's alleged offences in that state include counterfeiting money.The pair mouthed "I love you" and blew kisses at each other through the audio-visual link from their separate cells to the courtroom.ABC South East SA — local news in your inboxGet our local newsletter, delivered free each FridayYour information is being handled in accordance with the ABC Privacy Collection Statement.Email addressSubscribePosted 29m ago29 minutes agoThu 1 May 2025 at 7:55amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesCoalition costings reveal worse budget for first two years under Dutton compared to LaborTopic:Federal GovernmentPhoto shows Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor press conferenceCoalition's public service cuts 'focused on Canberra', shadow finance minister says LIVEPhoto shows Jane Hume stands at lecternCoalition's curriculum confusion, Albanese 'nervous' as polling day nearsBAnalysis by Brett WorthingtonPhoto shows a bald male politician wearing glasses speaks in front of a man standing behind himSimon Patterson tells court of 'strained' relationship with alleged mushroom killerTopic:Law, Crime and JusticePhoto shows A close up photo of Erin Patterson looking over her shoulder wearing glases.Harris says Trump administration is using fear as a tool to ruleTopic:World PoliticsPhoto shows Kamala Harris delivers a speech standing in front of a white backdrop that says emergePopular nowHarris says Trump administration is using fear as a tool to ruleTopic:World PoliticsPhoto shows Kamala Harris delivers a speech standing in front of a white backdrop that says emergeIndia is on the warpath against Pakistan. 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