Cassandra Brownsdon pleads guilty to enter dwelling and commit, driving disqualified

A mentoring organisation employee with a “terrible” criminal history has appeared in court again for clusters of offending, including breaking into a home and stealing jewellery.

Cassandra Leigh Brownsdon (right) outside Maroochydore Magistrates Court with lawyer Torik Dib (left). Picture: Patrick Woods.

A Beerwah mother-of-two has narrowly avoided being sent back to prison after clusters of crimes which included breaking into a home for jewellery and failing to give her name after two car accidents.

Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday how Cassandra Leigh Brownsdon’s court matters were “fraught with delay”, which magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist said involved previous not guilty pleas, non appearances, changing jurisdictions and sacking her previous capable legal counsel.

He plainly said the 37-year-old “deliberately” frustrated the legal process where she embarked upon “lengths” to avoid her matters being completed, which included her expulsion from therapeutic jurisdictions including Court Link and the Murri Court.

Her seven charges were finalised on Wednesday after her pleas of guilty to two counts of driving disqualified, two of failing to comply with duties of driver involved in a crash and one of driving with a relevant drug present, using a vehicle which its number plate was altered and enter dwelling and commit.

The court heard the 37-year-old, who had a 17 page criminal history and nine page traffic record, entered an Underwood home between February 8 to 11, 2022.

Cassandra Leigh Brownsdon pleaded guilty to all charges. Picture: Patrick Woods

Police prosecutor Tara Miles said Brownsdon was also involved in two car accidents while driving disqualified on June 13, 2023 at Northgate and at Coolum Beach on October 17, 2024. She then also failed to give her details to the other drivers.

She was also found to be driving with a relevant drug in her system while behind the wheel on March 12 last year at Landsborough.

Acting Sergeant Miles said Brownsdon was “no stranger” to periods of jail and had three other driving disqualified offences on her history. She believed the Beerwah woman should serve time due to her “terrible history” which included several burglaries.

Brownsdon after court. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Defence solicitor Torik Dib, from the high profile Sydney and Gold Coast law firm Dib and Associates, conceded jail was warranted but instead pushed for a term where the 37-year-old would not serve actual time behind bars.

Mr Dib’s extensive submissions included Brownsdon exhibiting “insight and contrition” since being charged.

He said this included entering a number of rehabilitative courses, volunteering, studying at university, setting family goals and being abstinent from drugs since 2022.

The solicitor said the Beerwah woman also worked as an operations manager for an indigenous mentoring organisation and was now “giving back to the community” after a series of traumatic experiences in her early life.

Mr Dib (left) and Brownsdon (right) outside the courthouse. Picture: Patrick Woods

The court heard she suffered a “downturn” in her life from 2018 to 2021 where she fell into drug use due to personal struggles, was jailed and was involved in a “toxic relationship”.

Mr Dib claimed her life would be harshly affected if she went back into jail, including losing her mortgaged home.

Mr Stjernqvist said criminal behaviour plagued Brownsdon during her life, and highlighted the enter dwelling offence where thousands of dollars worth of property lost, including jewellery.

“Who could put a cost on jewellery … an amount on items of value that were sentimental?” he asked the Beerwah mother.

He however opted to give her a head sentence of 30 months’ jail, suspended immediately for 30 months. This meant she would not be returned to custody.

She was also disqualified from driving for three years and fined $500.