Belinda Gambrill sentenced at Gladstone for fraud, stealing

A Central Queensland mum who had previously been homeless was staying at a man’s home when she stole his debit card and went on a spending spree with it.

Belinda Jane Gambrill.

A Central Queensland mother of nine has been sentenced after she stole a man’s debit card and went on a spending spree with it.

Belinda Jane Gambrill, 41, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to one count of stealing and five counts of fraud.

The court heard that in May, Gambrill, who had previously been homeless, was staying at a man’s house and on parole when she stole his debit card from his wallet.

During a one-day spending spree at various stores, she racked up $105.50 worth of fraudulent purchases with the card including cigarettes, soft drink and scratch-its.

Gambrill had a 10-page criminal history.

Police prosecutor Kelvin Boyd said that history was “littered with similar offending” and Gambrill had previously spent time in custody for past dishonesty offending.

Mr Boyd said with this latest offending, Gambrill was “exhausting all the sentencing options available to the court.”

“At the time of committing these offences... she was on parole for like offending.

“Imprisonment now is the only appropriate sentence.”

Belinda Jane Gambrill.

Solicitor Jun Pepito said Gambrill suffered from conditions including epilepsy, bipolar and PTSD and she had previously been homeless after spending time in custody.

Mr Pepito said Gambrill now had accommodation and it would be a backward step if she was imprisoned, submitting for a suspended term.

Magistrate Mary Buchanan said actual jail time was in range for Gambrill but the sentence imposed must not be disproportionate to the criminality of the offending.

“I can’t place too much weight on the history and not enough weigh on the low level of criminality of the overall offending,” Ms Buchanan said.

She sentenced Gambrill to four months’ jail, wholly suspended for 18 months.

Gambrill was also ordered to pay $105.50 restitution and convictions were recorded.