Pensioner Mary Kolusniewski loses bid to serve community service by playing the piano at nursing homes, ordered to pay $2900 fine
A pianist pensioner who vandalised street signs wanted to pay her debt to society by “tinkling the ivories” in nursing homes – but a magistrate had other ideas.
Police & Courts
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A pianist pensioner who vandalised street signs around Goodwood will pay a $2900 fine after failing in a bid to pay her debt to society by “tinkling the ivories” in nursing homes.
Self-styled “environmental activist” Mary Kolusniewski was, in April, spared a conviction for five counts of property damage on condition she perform 80 hours of community service.
She admitted that, between July and August last year, she painted 28 signs with “WTF!” in red paint, and then covered reflective arrows on other signs with green paint.
Ms Kolusniewski said her vandalism, which cost $2154 to repair, was an act of activism against “concrete garbage” surrounding newly-installed speed humps.
On Thursday, however, Ms Kolusniewski returned to court to ask that penalty be altered on account of her age and health conditions.
Defence counsel Con O’Neill said his client had reported for duty on nine occasions only to find the work offered by the Department for Correctional Services was outside her scope.
“They sent her to Port Adelaide to do physical work … she’s 75, she suffered from vertigo and emphysema,” he said.
“She has offered, to the Department, her services as a pianist – she’s a very accomplished pianist – to play for people in nursing homes.
“They could have a wonderful pianist turn up in nursing homes to tinkle the ivories, something the residents won’t have heard for some time.
“The Department has refused the request.”
Counsel for the Department conceded it had no work suitable for Ms Kolusniewski and said the 80 hours, if converted into a fine, equalled $2933.
Mr O’Neill said that was too much for a pensioner and suggested it would appropriate his client pay $500 instead.
Magistrate Christopher Smolicz disagreed.
“Although your suggestion was creative, the 80 hours should be transferred into the fine,” he said.
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