A 33-year-old woman who blew several chances to get off drugs and avoid jail was sentenced in the Launceston Magistrates Court to two years jail.
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Magistrate Sharon Cure last week remarked that Shannon Louise Brown, 33, had repeatedly expressed a desire to get off drugs but had failed to "walk the walk".
The court heard that Brown received a drug treatment order in the Supreme Court on May 1 last year, which enabled her to avoid a 15-month jail term as long as she committed no imprisonable offences and abided by the order such as avoiding the use of illicit substances.
Then on December 23, Brown was given a six-month suspended sentence to allow her to continue on the order and avoid jail.
However, police prosecutor Mike Bonde told Ms Cure that a new bout of criminality began the day after on December 24.
She committed an aggravated burglary at Golconda on the morning of a day when her drug treatment order was to be considered in the Magistrates Court.
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She was late to court because two male co-offenders, who she did not name to police, left her at Golconda.
"She was offending after the suspended sentence and committing a burglary when her court appearance should have been foremost in her mind," Mr Bonde said.
Ms Brown pleaded guilty to the aggravated burglary and stealing which included a .22 Stirling rifle, Baikal shotgun, ammunition, a Kawasaki motorbike, Swann CCTV hard drive and a firearm torch to a total value of $6505.
She also pleaded guilty to a burglary at the Launceston Church Grammar junior school between October 29 and February 5 and to unlawful possession of a property, methylamphetamine and stating a false name on January 17.
She also pleaded guilty to several counts of using a computer with intent to defraud between December 4 and January 17 and to a count of aggravated burglary of a home in West Tamar Road where she stole two computers and a quantity of jewellery to an estimated value of $2400.
Ms Cure discounted three months from the 15-month jail sentence for her efforts while on the drug treatment order, activated the six-month suspended sentence and gave her an extra six-months jail for the latest offences.
She must serve 12 months before being eligible for parole.
"The sentence could well have been more except for the principle of totality," Ms Cure said.
"The offending was aggravated by the fact it was committed while you were on a drug treatment order.
"You are someone who has great potential but unfortunately your addiction gets the better of you again and again."
Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
