A woman who stole a car from a hire company and gained hundreds of dollars from Spotlight by faking the return of goods has spent time in jail.
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Cara O'Dwyer, 35, said her offending was driven by drug use and homelessness after her children were removed from her care due to family violence committed by her former partner.
She appeared via video link at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday for sentencing.
O'Dwyer pleaded guilty on June 10 to four charges of obtaining property by deception, one charge of theft of a motor vehicle, four charges of driving while suspended, one charge of speeding and four dishonesty offences.
O'Dwyer was arrested on May 22 and has remained in custody since.
O'Dwyer attended Spotlight Wendouree three times in April, picked up a $299 machine from the shelf, went to the counter with a fake receipt and gained a fraudulent refund.
CCTV footage showed O'Dwyer did not have the item on entry to the store.
She committed similar offending at Spotlight in Mentone in June 2019.
In October, 2019, O'Dwyer hired a car from a rental company in Moorabbin and failed to return it or talk to the company after the hire date expired.
A defence lawyer said it was O'Dwyer's first time in custody.
The court heard she planned to return to tertiary education and work, stay off drugs and reunite with her children.
Magistrate Ron Saines said O'Dwyer's offences were considered serious examples of obtaining property by deception as her dealings with Spotlight were planned and systematic deceptions and all losses remained uncompensated.
"It has been said on your behalf your offending occurred in the context of drug use and homelessness following domestic violence and having your children taken away from you," he said.
Mr Saines said these factors did not justify her offending under the law, but as she had no prior convictions until 33, it appeared with drug abstinence and stable housing she could return to a crime free life.
"Homelessness and drug use does not impact the seriousness of your offending but it does indicate to me now your opportunity to make a clean start in accommodation in Ballarat with no drug use as an opportunity to live without crime," he said.
O'Dwyer was sentenced to one month imprisonment, marked as time already served, and will be released on a 15 month community corrections order.
She will be required to complete 60 hours of unpaid community work and remain under supervision, including intensive supervision for three months.
O'Dwyer will return to court in November for judicial monitoring and will undergo drug treatment and rehabilitation.
Mr Saines said the court would assist O'Dwyer to ensure she does 'a lot better' in the coming 12 months than in the previous 12 months.
Her licence was disqualified for three months.
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