‘You’ve burned a lot of bridges’

Sydney woman sentenced for theft, breaching court orders

A Sydney woman who admitted to stealing from a dead relative, along with several local merchants, in order to feed a drug addiction was sentenced Wednesday to further jail time.

Danielle Nichole Young, 39, must now complete a further jail sentence of 10 days having already served 262 days on remand. She is also to complete a one-year probation period.

“You’ve burned a lot of bridges,” said provincial court Judge Ann Marie MacInnes, in accepting the joint sentencing recommendation from prosecutor John MacDonald and defence lawyer Cheryl Morrison.

MacInnes acknowledged that Young’s life has been scarred by abuse and addiction adding that her efforts in the past to become clean have been less than stellar.

“You will be in one of three places — a grave, jail or the street — unless you stay clean,” said the judge, adding that Young’s next brush with the law could result in a federal jail sentence.

Young pleaded guilty to 19 offences of which the majority were for theft and breaching court orders.

Among the thefts, Young admitted to stealing nearly $5,000 from the bank account of a relative who had recently died.

She also admitted to walking into several local businesses, asking the duty clerk to change a $100 bill and then grabbing the change and the $100 before fleeing the store.

Among the conditions of her probation, Young is to stay way from a Sydney cab company along with six businesses. She is to refrain from drugs and alcohol and take all counseling as recommended, along with submitting to urine-blood analysis.