Woman guilty of stealing spree

JEWELLERY, shoes, clothing and camera film – this is what Kristi Renee Nicholls picked up during a shopping spree at Cairns Central. Except she didn’t pay the bill.

Yesterday the 27-year-old pleaded guilty in the Cairns Magistrates Court to 18 charges including six counts of stealing, speeding and unlicensed driving, possessing a knife and breaching probation.

Her offending spans six months from December last year. On June 7 Nicholls visited shops at Cairns Central, including Lovisa, Famous Footwear, Myer, Valley Girl, Cotton On Body and Catalog.

Officers from Cairns Central police beat found her still in possession of all the items.

“The defendant made admissions to stealing items,” police prosecutor Constable Stewart Clyde-Smith said. All items were returned.

On another occasion she was found possessing small amounts of ice and cannabis and used drug utensils.

The court was told that Nicholls had spent 68 days in custody, which Legal Aid Queensland defence solicitor Linda Cho said was a long time considering all the offences were relatively minor.

Ms Cho said Nicholls’ offending was consistent “with a person who has lost control of her life” after becoming involved with an abusive man who introduced her to drugs.

While in custody she applied for housing, sorted out Centrelink and has been working at the prison. Acting Magistrate Scott Luxton praised her for being productive while on remand.

“The disappointing aspect is if you had made a greater effort in terms of probation, you may well have avoided spending 68 days in custody,” Mr Luxton said.

The court was told that her offending was more serious because she’d been on probation.

Nicholls was released and put on a six-month probation/ parole order.