Chelsea Joy Denmead faces court over trespass, stealing at Pinnacles Resort, Airlie Beach
A Whitsundays bartender with a taste for the finer things in life has been fined for trespassing at a luxury resort and stealing champagne meant for paying guests.
Police & Courts
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A woman who snuck into an exclusive Airlie Beach resort and helped herself to champagne meant for guests has told a court she was only there to work on her sun tan.
Boom nightclub bartender Chelsea Joy Denmead unlawfully entered Pinnacles Resort and Spa on a Thursday afternoon in July, stealing a four-pack of mini champagne bottles and a four-pack of Great Northern beer from a housekeeping buggy before leaving.
The 23 year old later returned the stolen alcohol, apologised to the resort’s manager, and voluntarily attended Whitsunday Police Station to admit no one had given her permission to enter the resort.
She was subsequently charged with stealing and trespass.
Proserpine Magistrates Court heard this week Denmead attended the resort to tan by the pool after experiencing the premium facilities on a previous visit in the company of paying guests.
Finding all the sunbeds in use on the July 22 afternoon, she swiped the alcohol as she left, in what her solicitor described as an “opportunistic” theft.
“She has friends that work in housekeeping and if there’s things left behind in rooms they can generally take them,” defence solicitor Peta Vernon explained of the stealing incident, which CCTV cameras recorded.
When asked why she could not have sunbaked elsewhere, such as at home, Denmead told the court, “They [Pinnacles] just have nice beds there.”
Magistrate James Morton fined Denmead $350 and told her, “You don’t just walk in and start helping yourself to what’s not yours.”
No convictions were recorded.