Rockhampton court: Demi Leigh Warcon, 30, and Rayma Elizabeth Sweetman, 24, face court for Kalka Palms Hotel theft

Two Rockhampton mothers addicted to methamphetamines, who have seven children between them, have been sentenced for a joy ride in a stolen car, the theft of a man’s pokie winnings and various other crimes. Full details here.

Two mothers addicted to methamphetamines have received prison sentences for a joy ride and theft of a man’s pokie winnings.

Demi Leigh Warcon, 30, and Rayma Elizabeth Sweetman, 24, pleaded guilty to an array of charges in Rockhampton District Court on April 28.

Sweetman’s charges were unlawful use of a motor vehicle, theft and stealing fuel.

Warcon’s charges were two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, supply dangerous drugs, drive while State Penalties Enforcement Registry suspended, theft and stealing fuel.

The court heard the pair parked outside the Kalka Palms Hotel on Lakes Creek Road on May 17, 2021, in an MG station wagon that had been stolen the day before.

Crown prosecutor Cameron Keast said that while in the hotel, the pair saw the victim leave with pokie winnings and followed him outside.

“It was Sweetman who got into the front passenger seat and it was Warcon who leaned through the driver’s side window and took the wallet,” he said.

Judge Jeff Clarke said the victim’s wallet contained $500 plus $2000 in pokie winnings.

“It seems you acted in concert and this was clearly a premeditated plan,” he said.

Judge Clarke said Warcon got back into the stolen MG.

“He (victim) stood in front of your car to stop (Warcon) driving off but you drove forward,” he said.

The victim had to move to avoid being hit when she drove forward, collected Sweetman, and fled the scene.

The pair later that day put 13.5 litres of fuel, at a cost of $20.40, in the stolen vehicle and drove off without paying.

Three days later, Warcon was in the passenger seat of a stolen Audi, taken from a remote location near Duaringa, driven by co-accused Alex Rankin when it stopped in front of Raffles Hotel in Rockhampton before becoming involved in a short police chase where the pair evaded capture.

Alex Rankin and Demi Warcon.

The court heard Rankin had already been sentenced for his role in the stolen car chase.

Warcon’s defence barrister Joshua Fenton, who has represented her many times, said he could tell when she was not using methamphetamines as she was a completely different person.

Warcon, a mother-of-six, had a nine-page criminal record which included convictions for armed robbery in company, drugs and unlawful use of motor vehicles.

She was sentenced to a two-and-a-half year wholly suspended prison term and two-years probation in 2019 for entering a woman’s home, armed with a knife, demanding money and stealing her bag and car.

Warcon was sentenced in a district court in December 2020 for supplying 5.25g of meth and breaching the 2019 suspended sentence and probation order.

She received an 18-month prison term for the supplies and the suspended sentence was fully activated.

Warcon had previously been sentenced to three years prison in 2012 for a video store armed robbery where the offenders covered their heads with hoods, armed themselves with knives and stole cash.

Mr Fenton said his client came from a large family and she left school during year 10, working at Hungry Jacks, the meatworks and had completed a chef’s apprenticeship.

“Her problem is methamphetamine,” he said.

“She presents in conference, I think this is the third time I’ve appeared for her, as a polite gentle woman.

“Her appearance when not using methamphetamine is in complete contrast to her awful criminal history.

“She really has to do something about that or she’s going to end up spending the majority of her life in jail.”

Mr Fenton said Warcon’s six children were being cared for by various relatives while she was in custody.

He said she was staying with her father and caring for three of her children at the time of these offences.

Mr Fenton said Warcon instructed she started using meth at some point in association with a death in the family “and what happened after that really speaks for itself”.

Sweetman’s defence barrister Ross Lo Monaco said his client started using meth when she was 16 years old.

“It’s a habit she says she has been hard to kick,” he said.

Mr Lo Monaco said Sweetman had been sexually assaulted when she was 12, ended up couchsurfing not long after and left Emmaus College during year 10.

He said Sweetman’s child, which she gave birth to when she was 22, was in her mother’s care.

Judge Clarke sentenced Sweetman to 18 months prison, declared six days presentence custody and gave her immediate parole release.

He sentenced Warcon to 18 months prison, declared 337 days presentence custody and ordered immediate parole eligibility and disqualified her from driving for six months.