DRUG ADDICTS FIGHT IN STORE OVER DEBT
A SINGLE mother has narrowly avoided spending time behind bars after she followed another woman who owed her money into a store and assaulted her.
Delores Maree Goltz, 47, took out her frustrations over an unpaid debt on her victim in a public shop, despite knowing her victim was already prone to injuries.
The Murgon Magistrates Court was told tensions stemmed from an incident where Goltz was granted a victims of crime payment and the other woman asked to borrow $1500.
Lawyer Mark Oliver told the court his client gave the other woman the money “out of the goodness of her heart” to purchase a car and pay rent.
However, the court heard the money was never paid back and Goltz sad the woman avoided her calls.
On April 4, Goltz followed her victim into the Price Busters discount store in Murgon and began arguing with her over the debt.
The victim tried to walk away and Goltz followed her to another aisle and grabbed the woman’s hair and yanked it, causing her to fall.
The victim sustained a soft tissue neck injury in the ordeal.
Police prosecutor Sean Franklin said Goltz was aware that the victim had previously suffered injuries to her neck.
When Goltz was arrested later that afternoon, police discovered a syringe and other drug paraphernalia.
Magistrate Andrew Sinclair appeared less than impressed to discover both women were heavy drug users.
“So we’ve got two drug addicts fighting one another over money,” he said.
Mr Oliver said Goltz was a single mother and understood her actions were wrong, but lost her temper.
Mr Sinclair warned Goltz she had risked serving actual time behind bars and urged her to make better choices.
“If you lend money to drug addicts, as you might well understand, the chances of you getting that money back are low,” Mr Sinclair said.
Goltz pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, failing to properly dispose of a syringe and possessing drug utensils.
She was sentenced to three months’ jail, which was suspended for 12 months.