Meth, cocaine, cannabis: Maddy-Louise Pym’s crime spree included credit card fraud and stealing car, clothes

As well as the dangerous drugs methamphetamine, cocaine and cannabis, a 22-year-old woman was also caught with numerous types of restricted and controlled drugs during a year-long crime spree in Central Queensland.

A Rockhampton woman involved in a drug and “couch surfing” lifestyle has escaped serving actual jail time for her year-long crime spree.

Maddy-Louise Pym, 22, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on February 4 to 28 charges including possession of methamphetamine, cocaine and cannabis, possession of restricted and controlled drugs, possessing drug utensils, six fraud charges, multiple stealing charges, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and driving while suspended.

The offences happened over a 12-month period between March 2021 and February 2022.

Pym, who has hair and beauty qualifications, stole a Mazda 2 car, a credit card, clothing from City Beach Rockhampton on two separate occasions, cosmetic items from Chemist Warehouse and alcohol from Bob’s Bulk Booze.

Pym and a co-offender also used the stolen credit card to make a series of fraudulent purchases including clothing, worth hundreds of dollars, at outlets in Rockhampton and Gracemere.

For Pym’s crimes, more than $1000 restitution was sought.

Police busted Pym with methamphetamines on three separate dates over the 12-month period (total 1.017g), cannabis on four separate occasions (total 7.5g), and once with cocaine (1.741g).

The court heard that Pym, at one stage in 2021, had been staying in a room at The Criterion Hotel but she was evicted, along with other people, for drug use.

She left the hotel without her bags and police found drug utensils in them.

The court further heard that Pym had been kicked out of rental accommodation for not paying her rent and drug use.

Pym committed some of these 28 offences while she was on a suspended sentence from late 2020 for drug and dishonesty offending.

Solicitor David Mills said Pym was a single woman with three siblings and she had limited contact with her parents.

“She left home at the age 14 - has essentially been living on the street and couch surfing so to speak, throughout most of her adolescent teenage years,” Mr Mills said.

Mr Mills said Pym had undertaken a Tafe course in hair and beauty and had tried to secure work in that industry.

“She has worked casually for Fishco as a counter staff assistant and has otherwise assisted with other employers in the area,” he said.

“She currently has a position with a concreting company in Rockhampton and assists with administration duties and otherwise hosing down the vehicles at the end of the day.”

Mr Mills tendered three references to the court for Pym.

In relation to the offending, Mr Mills said Pym was “more often than not” in company with others when a majority of the offences took place.

“And one of the co-offenders...she ended up being given a term of imprisonment for her involvement,” Mr Mills said.

“I believe she was an older person and had some influence - I think the main problem with my client is that she’s falling in with the wrong type of people, and she’s then not assisting herself and is actively in that scene.”

Mr Mills said he first became instructed by Pym through the Legal Aid office in late October, 2021.

“These matters have been floating around for, I don’t know why, for a very long time now,” Mr Mills said.

“She (Pym) has been apprehended by police and they (offences) certainly go back to early last year, and I’m not sure what the problem has been in bringing these matters before the court.

“But I became pro-active in trying to resolve the matters as quickly as I could.

“(Pym’s behaviour) It’s protracted behaviour, I think that’s the exacerbating thing.

“It’s the fact that she hadn’t been pulled up and actually faced court - I believe that, that may have resulted in escalating (offending).”

Magistrate Cameron Press said sometimes people were better off getting dealt with by a court early for that reason.

Mr Mills responded: “I agree, then she would have been put on notice that she would have been in a lot more jeopardy of going to jail. In fact, had she continued her behaviour she probably would have found herself in a custodial situation today, had she been before the courts and faced the consequences early on.”

Mr Press said he had no doubt much of Pym’s offending was drug related and he urged her to get some professional help for that.

“Get yourself up to AODS (Alcohol and Other Drugs Service) so you don’t find yourself in this position again,” he said.

“Because you’ll end up going to jail shortly.

“Here, on various occasions, you’ve been found with drugs - cannabis, methamphetamine, cocaine, diazepam (valium). Then there was all the restricted drugs as well. There’s an issue there and you must address it.”

Mr Press sentenced Pym to a head sentence of nine months’ jail with immediate parole (prior suspended sentence wholly activated).

He also fined her $800 and ordered she pay $1129.83 restitution.

Pym’s driver’s licence was disqualified for one month.