Gwen Martha Fisher faces Gladstone court for fraud offences

A stay-at-home mum having a “tough time” financially came up with a plan to get her hands on quick cash but it wasn’t long before it backfired badly.

Gwen Martha Fisher, 30, faced Gladstone Magistrates court on fraud charges.

Mother of three Gwen Martha Fisher was having a “tough time” financially so she devised a cunning cash grab plan that ultimately backfired.

On January 7, Fisher went into the Betta Home Living store on the Dawson Hwy at Gladstone, to purchase a Samsung tablet worth $379.

Fisher paid for the item via electronic funds transfer and provided a “proof of payment” screenshot that had transfer confirmation of $379 which the store accepted.

Fisher left the store with the tablet and it was later discovered that she had actually only transferred 1c for the purchase.

After leaving Betta Home Living, Fisher went to Cash Converters Gladstone on the Dawson Hwy where she exchanged the tablet for $120 cash, after declaring in a contract that she owned it.

Gwen Martha Fisher.

On February 6, police interviewed Fisher and she told them she had been “going through hard times financially” and she was subsequently charged.

To make matters worse, Fisher did not turn up for her court appearances on May 29 and June 19.

In Gladstone Magistrates Court on July 3, the 30-year-old appeared and pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and two counts of failing to appear in court.

The prosecution sought $120 restitution.

Fisher’s criminal history was tendered to the court but it did not hear details about what that consisted of.

Solicitor Bianca Wieland said Fisher was a stay-at-home mother of three who had been experiencing a “tough time financially.”

Ms Wieland said Fisher did not attend her court dates because she had no-one to care for her children.

Acting Magistrate Stephen Byrne fined Fisher $1300 and ordered she pay $120 restitution.

Convictions were recorded.