A WOMAN who had an extensive shoplifting record which dated back to 1987 was handed a suspended jail sentence in Orange Local Court.
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The court heard Fay Bargwanna had a history of drug abuse and was affected by drugs at the time of the offences, which occurred on May 15.
Her solicitor Rebecca McIlveen said her client had gone to great lengths to address her addiction and had for the first time, completed two months of a methadone program.
Since she began the program she had only had one lapse, Ms McIlveen said.
“This lapse was what resulted in the three offences of the same date and all bar the bar of confectionery ... all the property was returned.
Police facts said on May 15 the 46-year-old walked into Dick Smith with a trolley at 3.30 in the afternoon and walked down to the back of the store.
She picked up a television worth $298 and placed it in the trolley and walked out of the store.
Later that day she walked into a newsagents in the Summer Centre and picked up various items including a teddy bear, a jewellery box and a diary and placed those items in her trolley and left.
Her shopping continued to Big W where a security guard in the shop saw her grab a bar of coconut ice, open the packet and eat the bar.
He apprehended her and called police.
At the time she had taken five Xanex tablets and was unable to be interviewed due to her “obvious intoxication”.
The Adina Crescent resident had a criminal history including assault, larceny and drug offences.
Magistrate, Terry Lucas told her she should be proud she had completed one stage of her rehabilitation program.
“You have an opiate problem ... don’t blame anyone else but you.”