Ipswich ladies who faced court in 2022 for “not so little” offences
These young women showed that looks can be deceiving, as the community heard about their misdeeds – ranging from drugs to petty theft and extreme acts of violence – in court. FULL LIST
Police & Courts
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The Ipswich Courthouse saw no shortage of young women enter its doors this year – many for offences the average person might not suspect.
Last year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported three quarters of offenders proceeded against by police across Australia were male, with 981 female offenders per 100,000 females in Queensland, compared to 2765 male offenders.
Across Australia, the median age of offenders also rose to 31 years – the oldest median age in more than a decade.
Young women, may therefore be in the minority of offenders but their crimes are no less violent, according to statistics, with the most common offending for both sexes across Australia being “acts intended to cause injury”.
In 2022, Ipswich saw young women commit a vast array of offences – including domestic violence, drug dealing, and assault.
See the full 2022 list of young Ipswich women and their offences:
CONVICTIONS RECORDED
JESSICA SKYE CHRISTENSEN
An expectant Logan mother fronted Ipswich Magistrates court for a dangerously slow drive along the Warrego Highway with a “cocktail of drugs” in her system.
Jessica Skye Christensen, 27, pleaded guilty in October to a raft of charges, including dangerous operation of a vehicle and adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, driving under the influence and possession of dangerous drugs.
The court heard at the time that Christensen had driven dangerously with drugs in her system along the Warrego Highway on the evening of April 29, 2021.
She swerved between lanes, cut off other cars and came “perilously close” to crashing into the barrier – all while driving at an average speed of 20 to 40kmh in the 100kmh zone.
Magistrate Dennis Kinsella said police found a “cocktail of drugs” in her blood, including fantasy, methamphetamine, antidepressants, a metabolite of cocaine and a metabolite of diazepam – along with a crystal substance, clip seal bags and a plunger in her possession.
Christensen was further charged for then driving without a licence three times – on one occasion (in August 2021) with methamphetamine and MDMA in her saliva.
Christensen was sentenced to two years of probation and further disqualified from driving for two years and nine months.
SAPHIRE ERIHE-SCHAEFFER
A young Ipswich woman was issued a jail sentence earlier this year after a wild police chase in which she narrowly avoided hitting a paramedic.
Redbank Plains resident Saphire Angel Erihe-Schaeffer, 20, pleaded guilty in April to 18 offences including dangerous operation of a vehicle, possessing dangerous drugs, and buying or possessing S4 or S8 medicines or poisons.
The court heard the dangerous operation charge related to a Boxing Day incident last year, in which Erihe-Schaeffer drove at speed past police and into a McDonald’s car park.
They found her “unable to be roused” and called an ambulance.
Upon its arrival, however, Erihe-Schaeffer started up her vehicle and drove away, nearly colliding with the ambulance.
The court heard she almost ran over a paramedic who yelled, “Stop, stop”.
Magistrate Leanne Scoines said the young woman had a “chaotic” lifestyle, noting most of her five-page criminal history was directly related to drugs.
Erihe-Schaeffer was sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment with immediate parole eligibility, and her 111 days of presentence custody were declared time served.
VIRGINIA JOHNSON
A young Ipswich woman with a “strong protective streak” fronted Ipswich Magistrates Court in June for assaulting a 19-year-old pregnant woman over a Facebook argument.
The court heard at the time that Virginia Johnson, 22, had assaulted the other woman at a Redbank Plains shopping centre in March, 2019, by punching her in the face and causing her to fall back and hit her head against a glass shop window.
The victim was four months pregnant at the time.
Johnson was further charged with assaulting three police officers – spread over two occasions.
The latter occasion occurred on Christmas Eve in 2019, when Johnson tried to intervene in the arrest of her sister at a funeral, where an early-morning argument had broken out between family members.
In June, Johnson pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, three counts of assaulting a police officer, and one serious assault against a police officer causing bodily harm.
She received a head sentence of six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.
UNIQUE KALOLO
A young pregnant woman left a knife in her ex-partner’s door after a brutal domestic violence attack, for which she was issued a jail sentence in February.
Kalolo, 22, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court to assault causing bodily harm while armed in company, entering a dwelling to commit an indictable offence, entering a dwelling with intent while in company, threatening violence and wilful damage.
The court heard Kalolo barged into her ex-partner’s home in May 2021, kicked through his door and hurled a glass vase at his back.
She then brandished a shard of broken glass as a weapon while holding him by the hair, before brutally beating him and leaving him with bloodied glass-slashed feet.
She later returned, forcing him to hide in his neighbour’s yard and, when he returned, he found a knife had been stabbed into his bedroom door.
Kalolo was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with immediate parole release.
ADINA ROBINSON
A young Ipswich woman was sentenced in July for a Toombul stealing spree, in which she stole more than $1500 worth of items from Coles and Kmart.
Adina Marie Robinson, 21, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court to three counts of stealing.
The court heard at the time that in November, 2021, Robinson stole $1477.50 of clothes and fragrances from Kmart and a further $92.25 worth of goods from Coles Toombul on the same day.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Chris O’Neill said Robinson may have intended to resell the significant quantity of non-essential items and noted her criminal history included stealing.
Recently departed ATSILS defence lawyer Kevin Rose said at the time Robinson had struggled with drug addiction but had been making good progress with the Courtlink program and had not used drugs for the past year.
Robinson was sentenced to 18 months of probation, and convictions were recorded due to her history.
RACHEL ROESELER
An Ipswich woman recently returned home to stand accountable for a “vigilante” assault which preceded some drastic life changes.
Now “reinvented” as a youth worker in the Northern Territory, Rachel Roeseler, 26, pleaded guilty in November to assault occasioning bodily harm in company and wilful damage.
The court heard Roeseler played a key role in trashing her mum’s rental and assaulting the landlord after her mum was having issues paying rent.
Roeseler, allegedly accompanied by three others, recorded on her phone as they threw food around the unit, and damaged the air conditioner and couch.
One of her alleged co-offenders was her long-time boyfriend at the time, with whom she was previously sentenced in company with for attempting to steal wine from a delivery truck and then violently resisting arrest.
Defence lawyer Jim Coburn said the two had now split up and that Roeseler was “extremely remorseful”.
Roeseler was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, wholly suspended for two years.
ALARNA ROSE-HEATHCOTE
An Ipswich magistrate warned a young mum earlier this year that “being a parent doesn’t give you a get out of jail free card” when sentencing her for using stolen bank cards to buy toys for her son’s birthday.
Alarna Rose Heathcote, 26, pleaded guilty in August to five counts of fraud (dishonest application of property of another), one count of attempted fraud (dishonest application of property of another), six counts of fraud (dishonestly gain benefit/advantage), and two counts of receiving tainted property.
The court heard she had used two stolen bank cards in March to buy a range of items including toys, clothing, gift cards, petrol and cigarettes.
Defence lawyer Matt Gemmell said Heathcote had been struggling financially at the time and many of the purchases were food and children’s toys that she bought for her son’s birthday.
Police prosecutor Nick Turnbull said Heathcote had a “track record” of dishonest offending and continued to reoffend despite previous parole orders.
“It’s not her card, it’s not her money, it’s patented dishonesty,” he said.
Heathcote ultimately received a sentence of four months imprisonment with immediate parole release.
NO CONVICTIONS RECORDED
RACHEL BOMAN
A young Inala woman was sentenced alongside her fiance earlier this year after police found cash, cannabis and cocaine in their home.
Rachel Patricia Bowman, 25, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court in June to one count each of possessing cocaine, producing cannabis, and possessing more than 500g of cannabis.
The court heard at the time police had searched Bowman and her fiance Casey Timm’s Ipswich home in July 2020 and uncovered 685.8g of cannabis, 1.585g of pure cocaine, three cannabis plants, an “unsophisticated” hydroponic set-up and $13,000 cash.
Prosecutor Amy Stannard said Timm had been trafficking the cannabis, whereas Bowman had been accessing it for her own personal use.
Defence barrister Justin Thomas said Boman suffered from “cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome” as a result of long-term cannabis use and was now prescribed medicinal cannabis.
Bowman was ordered to serve 12 months’ probation with no conviction recorded – while her fiance received a suspended two-year prison sentence.
TATIANA BROADRICK
A young Ipswich mother was sentenced in March for punching her sister-in-law in the face at her own birthday party.
Tatiana Broadrick, 20, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm.
The court heard she had a “longstanding feud” with the victim, which “boiled over” at Broadrick’s 19th birthday party.
Broadrick approached her sister-in-law outside the pub where they had been celebrating, accused her of “talking sh*t’ about her and then punched her twice in the face.
The victims suffered redness, swelling and bleeding inside the mouth.
Broadrick was fined $1000 and no convictions were recorded.
BRIANNA DOYLE
A former Ipswich childcare worker faced court in May for purchasing more than $1000 worth of goods, using stolen bank cards in a 24-hour crime spree.
Brianna Doyle, 19, used cards stolen during a house break-in for 20 transactions totalling $1430.76 in a single day in 2020.
She attempted to purchase a range of items including groceries, cigarettes and alcohol, and was caught on CCTV attempting to dispose of a card after it was declined.
Doyle pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court to 20 counts of fraud, one count of receiving tainted property and two counts of possession of suspected tainted property.
The court heard Doyle was not involved in the break-ins themselves but possibly had a “close connection” to the perpetrator as the cards were used soon after the most recent break-in.
Magistrate Dennis Kinsella said Doyle was a “youthful first time offender,” but her offending had the mark of a “seasoned fraudster.”
Doyle was sentenced to 12 months probation and ordered to repay $1430.76 to Suncorp Bank.
JESSICA EMMERSON
An aspiring jockey narrowly avoided having any convictions recorded when she pleaded guilty earlier this year to assaulting two police officers.
Jessica May Emmerson, 20, attempted to help her boyfriend resist arrest after a Kearneys Spring traffic crash in February following a dispute between drivers.
She attempted to push past two officers and was arrested for obstruction but continued to resist by punching an officer twice in the chest.
She then kicked at the legs of the two officers while being handcuffed and broke one of their torches at one point.
Emerson pleaded guilty in June in Ipswich Magistrates Court to two counts of obstructing police, two counts of assaulting police, and one count of wilful damage.
Defence lawyer Nick Crawford said she had undergone keyhole surgery in the weeks prior to the incident, which caused significant pain and contributed to her lashing out further at police.
Emmerson was sentenced to a six month good behaviour bond, with recognisance of $500.
ELLY KITCHING
A 19-year-old Ipswich mum’s “naive and stupid” plan to refund a pram she had stolen the day prior landed her in court.
Elly Kitching, of Brassall, pleading guilty in February to one count of stealing.
The court heard Kitching stole the pram from Baby Bunting in Booval in January, accompanied by two men, two children and a pram of their own.
One of the men allegedly left with the pram they had taken in, while Kitching transferred her baby into a pram from the store and wheeled it out without paying.
She returned the next day to refund it, claiming to have bought it last July but was told the refund couldn’t be processed out of the 30-day period.
Police attended her home almost a month later and she confessed to having stolen the pram.
Acting Magistrate Geoffrey Seaholme took into account Kitching’s lack of criminal history and young age and sentenced her to a 12 month good behaviour bond, with a $500 recognisance. No conviction was recorded.
JENNIFER-ROSE MOKE
An Ipswich magistrate told a former-hairdresser to “grow up” when sentencing her for assaulting a police officer and a stolen car spree, which racked up almost $18,000 worth of damage.
Jennifer-Rose Moke, 20, pleaded guilty in August to assaulting a police officer while intoxicated, public nuisance at a licenced premises, three unlawful uses of a motor vehicle, fraud, and failure to appear in accordance with an undertaking.
The court heard Moke drunkenly struck a police officer in March when they intervened in a physical altercation Moke was involved in at the Prince Consort Hotel in Fortitude Valley.
She then drove three stolen cars between April 17 and 24, which sustained damage worth almost $18,000 combined.
Moke also tried to use a stolen bank card at a Hungry Jacks drive-through and later failed to appear in court.
Magistrate Kathleen Payne told her, “you’re 20 years old, you’re not a child anymore, it’s time that you grow up”.
Moke was sentenced to 60 hours of community service for the assault, 18 months probation for the remaining charges and ordered to pay a total of $2300 in restitution.
No convictions were recorded.
JASMINE PALMER
A young woman and her boyfriend faced court in April for luring a man into an isolated location and stealing his car.
The court heard the duo shared a three-year-old son and had committed the offences together in September, 2020, against a man they met a month before.
Jasmine Palmer, 20, and her boyfriend Jesse Wylie-Clarke, 25, had arranged to meet with the victim in a remote location in Laidley after the victim left his phone with Wylie-Clarke and wanted it back.
The victim waited at the location for a time before falling asleep and woke to Palmer shining a torch in his face and Wylie-Clarke yelling at him to get out of the car.
The couple drove off in his car, leaving him behind, and the police later found the car abandoned with both Wylie-Clarke’s and Palmer’s DNA on cigarette butts and drink cans inside.
Palmer pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court to three counts of stealing, two of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, one of wilful damage, one of entering a premises and stealing, and one of unlawfully entering a car with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Wylie-Clarke pleaded guilty at an earlier date in April to entering a premises and committing an indictable offence, unlawfully using a motor vehicle, and unlawfully entering a motor vehicle with intent at night.
Palmer was sentenced to probation for a period of three years and no convictions were recorded, while Wylie-Clarke was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with immediate parole release and 579 days presentence custody declared time served.
RUBI ROSS
An Ipswich nurse-to-be was busted with 76 capsules of MDMA in the bathroom of a Fortitude Valley nightclub.
Woolworths Booval employee Rubi Isabella Ross, 23, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court in November to one count of possessing 76 capsules of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).
The court heard police had approached Ross while she was celebrating her birthday in Fortitude Valley last April, as she appeared to be “heavily intoxicated”.
She pulled a tobacco pouch from her handbag while looking for ID but it dropped to the ground.
A passer-by picked it up and handed it to police, who found 76 capsules containing 1.015g of MDMA inside.
Defence solicitor Danny Booth told the court Ross had merely happened upon the tobacco pouch in the bathroom of a nightclub, which Magistrate Peter Saggers said was a “story” he approached with “significant caution”.
Ross was ultimately sentenced to 12 months of probation and no convictions were recorded.
EMMA JOYCE WRIGHT-HESSION
An aspiring teacher caught drug-dealing was warned by an Ipswich judge earlier this year that she had put her career prospects on the line.
Emma Joyce Wright-Hession, 23, pleaded guilty in May to using a phone to deal dangerous drugs.
The court heard at the time the rural business owner facilitated a drug deal in Toogoolawah in September 2020, involving an unknown number of ‘pingers’ worth more than $700.
Defence lawyer Ali Rana said Wright-Hession had two years left of her teacher’s degree and asked for no conviction to be recorded, so the incident would not affect her future career prospects.
Judge Kent QC noted Wright-Hession’s young age and lack of criminal history in his decision not to record a conviction.
Wright-Hession was ultimately fined $1000 for the offence.
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