Youth helps limit penalty

A PROSECUTOR pushed for a harsher penalty against a woman who was caught driving a stolen vehicle just weeks after she was released from prison for the same offence.

But it was Tarenceha Navaka Bonner’s youth that saved her from a longer prison sentence, the Townsville Magistrates Court heard.

Senior prosecutor Bimal Raut said it was an “undisputed fact” that unlawful use of motor vehicles and car thefts was a huge problem in the Townsville community and needed to be punished harshly.

He called for a two-and-ahalf year sentence for the 21year-old, but magistrate Steven Mosch wasn’t so sure.

Bonner pleaded guilty to five charges, including three unlawful use of a motor vehicle and two fuel thefts between October 6 and October 29.

She had only been released from prison on September 20.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service defence solicitor Danielle Hudra said her client was 17 when she left home.

“She felt her mother had chosen her partner over her children,” she said.

From there, Bonner had lived a transient lifestyle and become dependent on methylamphetamine and marijuana.

Ms Hudra argued her client was a good prospect for rehabilitation and had spent her time in custody working towards multiple certificates.

Mr Mosch said there was no allegation Bonner had been involved in the theft of the vehicles, but she had been caught on CCTV driving the vehicle on the third occasion.

He added she was lucky to be young, otherwise he would have sentenced her to a much harsher penalty.

“Facing the prospect now of further time in custody, and the context of your young age, there might be issues in terms of you becoming institutionalised which might adversely affect your chances of being rehabilitated,” he said.

Mr Mosch said when taking her past offending into consideration, a term of imprisonment was necessary.

“Your history is such … and the number of charges I’m dealing with is such that ordinarily one might think a term of two-and-a-half years would not be unwarranted,” he said.

Mr Mosch warned the woman if she was to reoffend in a similar way, she would likely end up before the District Court and with a significant jail sentence.

She was given a two-year head sentence with a parole release date of July 11, 2020. Bonner had served 107 days in presentence custody.