Four-month crime spree catches up with young mother

Theft and fraud were just some of the 26 charges woman faced

A young mother pleaded guilty to 26 charges including stealing and fraud. Picture: AlexStar

A MOTHER of four who was raised "on the streets” and had an "extensive history” of property offences has pleaded guilty to 26 charges in Mackay Magistrates Court.

Kerry-Lee Angelina Finnegan, 26, appeared via video link on Tuesday facing charges including stealing, fraud and obstructing a police officer.

The court was told that between September and December 2016, Ms Finnegan stole a range of items from Mackay and Sarina including alcohol, clothing, cigarettes and perfume, and that she also fraudulently used a credit card.

While she initially faced two charges of entering a premises and committing an offence, prosecutor Bernhard Berger provided no evidence for one, and it was struck out.

Ms Finnegan's defence solicitor Antoinette Morton told the court that while her client had an "extensive history” of property offending, it was all of a "spontaneous nature”.

Ms Morton told the court her client had been "raised on the streets” because of a troubled family life.

Ms Finnegan pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted fraud, three counts of breach of bail, seven counts of fraud, one count of possession of tainted property, five counts of stealing, one count failing to take care of a syringe, one count of obstructing a police officer, one count of entering a premise and committing an offence, and four counts of unauthorised dealing with shop goods.

Magistrate Damien Dwyer remanded Ms Finnegan in custody until her sentencing.

Originally published as Four-month crime spree catches up with young mother