Jessica Lynette Tarbuck cut up a stolen bank card but not before she’d spent big bucks

A woman’s guilty conscience kicked in after using card she found in a shopping centre car park. But it was too late.

Overwhelmed by guilt, a Hervey Bay woman cut up a bank card she had found in a car park at a local shopping centre.

But the damage had already been done.

Jessica Lynette Tarbuck pleaded guilty in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court to a number of charges including fraud.

The court heard on June 22 the card was found cut up by a witness but was pieced back together.

Tarbuck had used the card to make eight transactions, spending a total of $452.

During an interview with Tarbuck, she told police she had found the card in the car park at Stockland Shopping Centre.

She was asked why she didn’t take it into the station.

Tarbuck told police she kept it long enough to talk herself into actually using it.

She had used the card to purchase alcohol, tobacco and takeaway food.

But Tarbuck felt bad about using it, so she cut it up.

Tarbuck had been diagnosed with mental health issues, including bipolar and PTSD and the offending was said to be “opportunistic”.

Tarbuck was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and ordered to complete 40 hours of community service.

No convictions were recorded.

She was ordered to pay restitution.