Magistrate thanked
Mum who stole $23k worth of goods let out
A GOLD Coast mother with a drug problem profusely thanked a magistrate who let her walk from prison yesterday, despite her pleading guilty to stealing more than $23,000 of clothes, DVDs, electronics and other goods during a sixmonth crime spree.
Alicia Jayne Davies, 32, pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court to 15 charges of fraud and stealing.
Magistrate Pamela Dowse sentenced Davies to two years in prison. She was released on parole yesterday after spending 76 days in custody.
“Thank you, your honour,” Davies said from the dock after her sentence.
The court heard Davies would buy clothes, DVDs, perfume, make-up and electronics from shops such as Big W, Kmart, Target, Aldi, Coles, Woolworths and JB Hi-Fi.
She would then steal the same items and return one set of the goods to the store and ask for a refund.
The biggest chain hit was Big W, from which Davies took almost $6000 worth of goods.
“This is quite hideous behaviour,” Ms Dowse said.
“All of us in the community have to pay more because of people like you.
“There is no-one in the community that likes a thief.”
Police prosecutor Josie Salzman said the charges had been “condensed” significantly to make the matter easier to deal with.
All charges relating to the same chain were brought together into a single charge.
Davies originally faced more than 300 charges for the incidents.
Ms Salzman said on one occasion police stopped Davies outside a Kmart with three bookshelves, each worth $65, she was trying to shoplift.
“She said she had kids in the car and didn’t have time (to pay),” Ms Salzman said.
The thefts occurred between June 4 and December 23 last year.
ALL OF US IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE TO PAY MORE BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU. THERE IS NOONE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT LIKES A THIEF MAGISTRATE PAMELA DOWSE
Ms Salzman said a prison term was appropriate and if released yesterday asked for Davies to be placed on parole.
“She certainly needs some lever of supervision,” she said.
Davies failed to appear in court this year and had been remanded in custody since June.
Defence lawyer Joe Wicking, of Howden Saggers Lawyers, told the court Davies had “significant issues” with illicit substances, particularly ice.
“At 32 years of age my client has the ability to rehabilitate herself and move on with her life,” he said.
“That 76 days (in custody) has given her an opportunity to be clean.”
Davies was not ordered to pay any restitution.