Dunedin District Court

ALICIA Corina Mathieson had a history of dishonesty but had not previously been convicted of unlawful taking, public defender Sophia Thorburn said at sentencing in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.

Mathieson (41), of Dunedin, had been convicted of unlawfully taking a $38,000 vehicle from Glen Rd, on November 1; and unlawfully being in a building in Wesley St, on November 12.

Concerning the unlawful taking, Judge Michael Turner said the vehicle owner was a 79yearold man at whose address Mathieson was living temporarily at the time.

Mathieson had been drinking alcohol during the night and into the early hours before taking the vehicle.

After picking up a friend, she drove around visiting local beaches.

About 8am, she was seen parking the vehicle in the spot from where she had taken it.

Spoken to, she was belligerent and uncooperative.

Ms Thorburn said Mathieson borrowed the vehicle without permission. She hoped she would be able to sort out her friendship with the owner.

Alcohol was her main problem.

‘‘She says it is what she turns to when things get difficult’’.

The judge accepted there was some spontaneity to the offence rather than it being carefully planned.

He also noted Mathieson was now willing to undergo treatment for her alcohol problem.

Mathieson, in custody since November 23, was sentenced 13 months’ jail (with six months’ release conditions).

Being unlawfully in a building, and remission of $1933 unpaid fines, brought onemonth jail terms (concurrent with each other and the 13 months).