Judge offers generous incentive

A Blenheim woman caught using stolen supermarket vouchers will have more than $18,000 in fines wiped if she completes her sentence.

Hannah Fyfe, 22, and her partner Jonathan James Bradley, 21, bought $840 worth of Pak ‘n Save vouchers from a friend for $100 and a ride to Nelson in July.

The vouchers were taken in the burglary of Marlborough Football at Blenheim’s A&P Park the day before.

The couple used the vouchers in Nelson and Blenheim to buy gift cards they later spent at The Warehouse, a police summary said.

Fyfe and Bradley admitted three joint charges of using a document to obtain a pecuniary advantage, a joint charge of receiving stolen goods, and joint charges of possessing cannabis and a bong.

Fyfe also admitted breaching a community work sentence.

Bradley was sentenced last week to 120 hours’ community work, and ordered to pay $420 in reparation.

Fyfe appeared for sentencing at the Blenheim District Court on Monday.

Her lawyer Alan Heward said Fyfe was not medically fit to do community work but was willing to do community detention.

She had one previous conviction of driving while suspended.

She owed $18,782.14 in fines which she was paying off at $20 a week.

Judge Jan Kelly said she was concerned that if Fyfe served community detention at home with her partner, she would be around people ‘‘involved in drugs or [who] are using drugs, and criminal offending’’.

She convicted Fyfe and sentenced her to nine months’ supervision.

She added conditions that Fyfe undergo drug and alcohol counselling and other counselling as recommended by probation.

She also gave Fyfe a curfew for the duration of her sentence, from 7pm to 7am every day, except Monday when she had to attend antenatal classes and the curfew started at 9.30pm instead.

Judge Kelly added some extra motivation for Fyfe, who had recently breached a community work sentence.

‘‘If you complete the sentence without a breach, your fines will be remitted,’’ Judge Kelly said.

‘‘If you breach it, the fines will remain in place.’’

But Fyfe still had to repay $420 to Marlborough Football, at $20 a week.

Blenheim man Connor William Bate, 25, denied receiving stolen vouchers and attempting to use them.

He was remanded on bail on Monday to a case review hearing to take place on October 31.