IPhone costly for pub thief

A DRUG user sentenced last month for a spate of offences – including an incident where she was naked in a pub carpark – stole an iPhone that a pub patron left behind at the pokies, a court has heard.

Nikita Elizabeth Urquhart, 23, faced Townsville Magistrates Court earlier this month to be sentenced for a single charge of stealing on March 21.

Urquhart was last month before the court for 20 charges including a number related to an incident where she walked naked around the Stuart Hotel carpark while affected by drugs.

She was released on parole the same day, having been in custody since April.

Police prosecutor Mark Fenlon told the court the owner of the stolen iPhone had been at the Upper Ross Hotel when he left it behind after playing the poker machines.

“The defendant has then removed the phone from its location near the poker machines,” he said. “While driving home the victim has realised he’s missing his phone … He’s contacted the hotel who advised his phone had not been handed in.”

Mr Fenlon said the victim and the manager viewed CCTV footage which showed Urquhart taking the phone and the victim recognised her and gave her name to police.

Defence solicitor Michael Spearman argued that if Urquhart had been sentenced for stealing the iPhone at the same time as the other offences she wouldn’t have received any extra time in custody and said she should not be further punished, but Magistrate Ross Mack rejected this.

Mr Spearman said Urquhart couldn’t return the phone as it had been stolen from her.

“I don’t believe her,” Mr Mack said.

“It seems inexplicable that she would steal the phone and have it stolen off her.”

Urquhart was given a threemonth suspended sentence for the charge of stealing and was ordered to pay $ 1569 in restitution to the victim.