LEANNE Maree Ostini was told she was a prime example of why people should not do drugs when she was sentenced to nine months jail with a five-month non parole period on Monday.
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The 39-year-old Richards Place resident appeared in Orange Local Court via audio visual link where she was sentenced by magistrate Terry Lucas to full-time custody for breaching suspended jail bonds for two shoplifting charges dating from 2014.
The breach was made due to her failure to complete drug detoxification and residential rehabilitation that were part of the conditions of her bonds.
Legal Aid representative solicitor Prue Hawkes said the offending and re-offending were the result of her client’s drug addiction.
“She’s had a very lengthy history of drug use, she’s had the support of this court and community,” she said.
“Due to the nature of her drug use her children are not in her care.
“She accepts that she is likely to receive a full custodial sentence.”
Mr Lucas told Ostini she had nine months jail hanging over her head for breaching the bonds but she could be released on parole on February 15 with her sentence backdated from September 16 when she went into custody.
“You would be one of the prime examples of why people should not do drugs,” Mr Lucas said.
“You’ve lost [custody of] your child, you’ve lost your life.”
Ostini said she did do some rehabilitation at Odyssey House.
“I wasn’t totally abstinent but it did help,” she said.
“I’m hoping for a shorter penalty, I’m intending on going back into rehabilitation.
“Four months at Odyssey House was not enough, I need to do another 12 months, I’ve got a four-year-old son out there, I need to spend more time with.
“I still haven’t given up yet, I need to have some sort of life.”
Ostini had pleaded guilty to the shoplifting charges.
Between 6.20pm and 7.20pm on May 28, 2014, she stole $108 worth of clothing from an Orange department store including three fleece tops and a biker-style jacket.
The other offence came from August 21, 2014 when she was caught stealing $5 worth of confectionery from another Orange store.
Despite being issued the bonds and being given several chances to complete drug rehabilitation an arrest warrant was issued in Orange Local Court on September 12, 2016 and she was arrested two days later.
