SHOULD HAVE GONE TO SPECSAVERS

POKIE-PLAYING WOMAN

A 30-YEAR-OLD woman might need to have her eyesight checked after telling police she hadn’t seen her ex-partner sitting less than two metres from her in a Toowoomba pub in breach of a court order.

Camilia Ann Hearn had been subject to a court order that she have no contact whatsoever with her ex-partner, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

However, police officers on foot patrol about 12.45am Wednesday had walked through the Newtown Hotel’s poker machine room where they came upon Hearn playing a pokie.

order, Hearn had told police she wasn’t aware her ex-partner had been sitting next to her, Sgt Bugden said.

She was arrested and taken into custody and spent the night in the watch house before appearing before the court yesterday to plead guilty to contravening the court order.

Sgt Bugden said further investigations found the couple had bumped into each other at the Shamrock Hotel earlier in the evening.

Defence solicitor Divina De Leon told the court her client had been living in Bundaberg but was back in Toowoomba visiting family.

Ms De Leon asked that the court take into account her client had spent nine hours in the watch house before appearing in court.

Acting Magistrate Maryanne May noted Hearn had previous breaches of court orders and warned her she was heading in the direction or more serious penalties.

“You need to stay away from him,” Ms May warned.

However, taking into account the time spent in custody and accepting the breach was at the “lower end”, Ms May convicted and fined Hearn $500 which was referred to SPER (State Penalties Enforcement Register).