A Mole Creek woman who used her mother's credit card to make unauthorised purchases of more than $14000 was spared a jail sentence in the Launceston Magistrates Court.
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Kellie Janine Anne Roach, 42, pleaded guilty to 30 counts of dishonestly acquire a financial advantage and eight counts of attempting to dishonestly acquire a financial advantage between January 2, 2019, and January 24, 2019. She also pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to appear to answer the charges.
Magistrate Simon Brown said that Roach had asked her mother to her home in late December 2018 and took a photo of her credit card.
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He said that she used it on 40 occasions to obtain goods.
"It seems that when you were successful initially you got on something of a high and you just kept going.," Mr Brown said.
The court heard that Roach used the card to buy goods and services from Telstra, JB Hi-Fi, Apple, Skymesh, to pay fines and car registration.
Mr Brown said that Roach's diagnosis of bipolar disorder meant her culpability was somewhat reduced.
"However, there are multiple instances of offending, you took advantage of your own mother and it was not an insubstantial amount of money," he said.
Mr Brown said Roach had a relevant prior matter of forgery and uttering in 2008 when she received 84 hours of community service.
He said the crimes were a significant breach of trust but an actual and immediate jail sentence was not the only option.
"This is serious enough for a 10-week term of imprisonment that is wholly suspended to send a message that this is serious," he said.
Roach said: "Never again Your Honour."
Mr Brown also ordered that she do 63 hours of community service as part of a 12-month community correction order.
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