Woman pleads guilty to stealing

A woman stole close to $700 from her ex-husband’s former employer by charging to a company account during multiple visits to a Waimate service station.

On Tamara Campbell’s final visit, the 36-year-old filled her Jeep with $100.10 of petrol but when Sadlers Waimate Service Station staff refused to let her use the account details this time, she drove off without paying.

Campbell pleaded guilty to theft and a representative charge of using a document for pecuniary advantage when she appeared before Judge Joanna Maze in the Timaru District Court on Thursday.

She used the account to purchase petrol, food, and drink for her own purposes between October 25 and November 6, 2019.

‘‘The victim formerly employed the defendant’s ex-husband and the defendant has knowledge of the victim’s Farmlands business account with Sadlers,’’ police prosecutor Sergeant Ian Howard told the court.

‘‘The combined value of these purchases comes to a total of $674.75.

‘‘The defendant had no permission or authority to use the victim’s account.’’

Campbell attempted to use the account again after filling her vehicle at 11.39am on November 9.

‘‘The staff refused to authorise the purchase knowing the defendant is not supposed to be using this account. The defendant returned to her vehicle before driving away without paying.’’

Howard said when questioned by police, Campbell stated she stole because she was ‘‘going through a rough patch’’.

‘‘She knew she had no permission to use the victim’s account, and she had no excuse for doing so.’’

Howard said police sought reparation on behalf of both the account holder and the service station, for a total of $774.85.

Defence lawyer Codi Lilley said Campbell had been struggling with ‘‘personal circumstances’’ including escaping a violent relationship at the time of the offending.

She would be in a better position to pay reparation when her work as a relief milker resumed in August, and she was ‘‘agreeable’’ to restorative justice, Lilley said.

Judge Maze convicted Campbell and remanded her on bail for sentencing on July 28.