Aspiring disability, age care worker Sarah-Jane Emily Morgan fronts Toowoomba court for stealing fuel three times while pregnant

‘Mark against your moral fibre’: A mother of six has been told to pull her head in if she wants to be a disability carer after she arrogantly stole fuel from a number of businesses across Toowoomba.

Sarah-Jane Emily Morgan leaving Toowoomba Court in September 2024, after pleading guilty to stealing fuel on three occasions.

A Toowoomba woman who thought she could get away with ‘forgetting’ to pay for $20 worth of fuel three times in three months has fronted court for the “ridiculous” crimes.

Sarah-Jane Emily Morgan fronted Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Friday, September 20, and pleaded guilty to three counts of stealing fuel and one charge of contravening the requirement of police.

The first business to fall victim to Morgan was Ampol at Wilsonton on January 25, 2024.

The court was told after the mother of six pumped $20 of fuel into a black Volkswagen station wagon, however her card was declined.

The 30-year-old told the attendant she would return to pay and she was warned that police would be notified if she did not.

Sarah-Jane Emily Morgan leaving Toowoomba Court in September 2024, after pleading guilty to stealing fule on three occasions.

After sending a number of payment reminders, the business contacted police in February.

When police went to her home, a man told the officers at the door that Morgan wasn’t home and refused to let them inside.
However, the court was told officers had the authority to enter for an unrelated matter.

Morgan was inside the home and told the officers they had arrived just as she was leaving to pay for the fuel.

A few days later Morgan again pumped $20 of fuel into a car without paying, however on this occasion, it was the EG Ampol at Harristown and she told the attendant she had forgotten her wallet.

The last victim business was a service station at Gowrie Junction where Morgan again stole $20 of fuel in March, however this time she left her licence behind to prove she would return.

She did not.

When officers again spoke with Morgan she said she was “snowed under” and was on her way to pay the money she owed.

Officers informed her the charges would be dropped after she paid, and Morgan was also asked to attend a police station to supply her identification particulars.

She never followed through and the charges were continued, along with a new charge, contravening the diction of police.

Morgan also failed to show up to her court date on July 24, prompting a warrant to be released for her arrest.

When she was arrested the following day, she informed officers she forgot, the charges were “ridiculous,” and that she was 39 weeks pregnant.

The Toowoomba Court House. Toowoomba City police station watchhouse. Picture: Peta McEachern

The mother was released on bail to be reinterviewed after her pregnancy on August 30, 2024.

The court was told Morgan last fronted court for stealing in 2018 where she revived a $400 fine.

Acting magistrate Mark Whitbread told Morgan she might think the “matters were ridiculous” however it was her actions that were ridiculous.

“You didn’t pay the $20 (for) fuel,” he said.
“You might have been hard up for money (but) the reality is you made no effort to pay it and that’s why it’s ridiculous because of your behaviour not because of the offence.

“You’ve got to understand that shows that you’re a person (who is) liable to do dishonest things.

“It’s a mark against your moral fibre – you’ve got to try and sort that out.

“You may have money issues but people these days are sympathetic to that and you could have entered into some arrangement… preventing you from being here but you didn’t.”

Mr Whitbread said people who stole fuel made things more difficult for the rest of the community who had to foot the bill for the consumer’s cost when companies inevitably recoup their losses.

“You’re making it worse for everyone, not just for yourself,” he said.

“If you want to work in aged (or disability) care you can’t do things like that, simply can’t, they will deem you a person that’s not fit and appropriate.”

Morgan was fined $1000 and ordered to pay $60 in compensation.

No convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Aspiring disability, age care worker Sarah-Jane Emily Morgan fronts Toowoomba court for stealing fuel three times while pregnant