Vanessa Stringer charged for pawning diamond rings

A mother who pawned stolen diamond rings at a Cash Converters was told ‘there’s only one person to blame and that’s yourself’ when she faced court for fraud and possessing other illegal items.

After jewellery was stolen in a burglary, Vanessa Lee Stringer was charged with giving it to CashConverters for a $200 loan. Photo: Zoe Devenport

A woman pawning stolen jewellery was caught by police who identified the rings being held as collateral for a Cash Converters loan.

Vanessa Lee Stringer was loaned just $200 for three rings stolen from a Sarina home, but when police raided her house they found much more.

Stringer, 44, had more stolen jewellery and collectable coins, as well as two illegal flick knives, a glass pipe and a small amount of meth.

She pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court on February 15 to charges of dishonest fraud, receiving tainted property, unlawful possession of weapons, and possessing a pipe and dangerous drugs.

Stringer was discharged from the burglary offence itself, which was thought to have happened sometime between May 22 and 28, 2022.

Police prosecutor Leonie Taufa’ao said investigating police identified the fraud through the stolen property identification register system.

“On June 6, 2022, (Stringer) pledged three yellow gold diamond rings at Mackay Cash Converters as security for a $200 cash loan,” Ms Taufa’ao said.

“Police seized the three gold rings pawned (and) confirmed as rings stolen during the break and enter.

“The victim has provided photographs to confirm the items are lawfully hers.

“On July 27, 2022, detectives executed a search warrant at (Stringer’s) residence in Sarina (where she) claimed the rings were legitimately hers.”

During that search, Ms Taufa’ao said officers located a “large quantity” of jewellery, jewellery boxes, collectable coins, and currency.

The court heard a bag of meth and a glass pipe covered in residue were also found in Stringer’s handbag and two flick knives were located in her bedside table.

As the prosecutor read the facts, the victim herself entered the courtroom and handed a signed letter to Ms Taufa’ao before quickly leaving.

Defence lawyer Peter Clarke, of Strutynski Law, objected to the letter’s late entry into evidence and it was not read out in court.

Mr Clarke said Stringer was a mother of three and cared for her long-term partner through illness, having reformed herself after a period of drug offending.

“There’s numerous entries for primarily drug offences 2016 through to 2022,” Mr Clarke said.

“She has effectively reformed herself and is now completely free of methylamphetamine, (being) routinely subject to urinalysis as part of parole.

“The utensils were there from the bad old days, if I can use that phrase, (and the drugs) were the property of her housemate.”

Acting Magistrate Ron Muirhead told Stringer if it wasn’t for her guilty pleas, she would have likely been imprisoned.

“There’s only one person to blame and that’s yourself,” Mr Muirhead said.

“(Your guilty plea) has probably saved you from going to jail if you were convicted after a (trial).”

Stringer was fined $2,600 referred to SPER for her offences and released with convictions recorded.