Woman committed crimes against family to support drug habit

Judge sees hope for 28-year-old, sentenced to 10 months’ house arrest

After hearing the facts of her case, which involved deceiving her immediate family to support a drug habit, Adrianne Haire stood to address the court.

“It’s crazy to sit here and listen to all the things I did to my family. That’s not me,” the 28-year-old said Tuesday in provincial court in Harbour Grace, sobbing as she spoke. “I don’t know who that person is.”

Endorsing a joint submission from lawyers, Judge Paul Noble sentenced the Harbour Grace resident to 10 months’ house arrest. Facing a total of 23 charges stemming from a one-month period in the spring of 2016, Haire entered guilty pleas on 10 charges, including uttering forged documents, forgery, fraud, theft under $5,000, unlawfully dwelling in a house and breach of a recognizance. The Crown agreed to withdraw the remaining charges.

In March 2016, Haire cashed four cheques valued at a total of $450 that she stole from a store in Bay Roberts her mother owned at the time. She stole other items from her mother during this period, including cash. There were other cheques belonging to her mother she made payable to herself and a man totaling $560, some of which she later attempted to cash herself.

During the same month, Haire attempted to cash a cheque made out to her sister for $450 at Carbonear Foodland, producing her sister’s MCP and social insurance cards. The store determined after making an inquiry that her sister had already used the cheque.

Crown prosecutor Paul Thistle acknowledged these crimes could have resulted in a stiffer sentence for Haire, who has a short criminal record also linked to the spring of 2016. However, he noted her prospect for rehabilitation is strong, and the crimes committed were against her family and not the public.

Haire had a prescription for methadone to treat her drug addiction, but relapsed prior to committing the crimes. The court was told she has been back on methadone since last July. Thistle also pointed out she has received counselling and has strong family support.