Destiny Annalise Potter sentenced over Bowen break-ins, drug possession

The court heard the unemployed young woman became more brazen over the series of break-ins in a manner suggesting she was ‘begging to be caught’.

Destiny Annalise Potter, 22, pleaded guilty in Bowen Magistrates Court to 12 charges including enter dwelling, trespass, and possess dangerous drugs.

A 22-year-old Bowen woman has spent a week in Townsville Correctional Centre as a magistrate struggled to make sense of a “bizarre” crime spree that left residents on edge for weeks.
Destiny Annalise Potter committed or attempted to commit multiple home burglaries in Bowen throughout May and June, becoming more brazen with each offence to the point residents were chasing her off their properties and out of their houses.

Bowen Magistrates Court heard Potter targeted the homes of her neighbours on Golf Links Rd and Mount Nutt Rd, breaking in via windows and screen doors during the day time, often when residents were at home.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Jay Merchant told the court Potter wore gloves and used tools including a screwdriver and chisel to damage locks and steal items such as cleaning products, toiletries, phone chargers and electronics.

She then “swapped property for drugs,” Sgt Merchant said.

A search of the rented home Potter shared with a de facto partner uncovered quantities of marijuana, marijuana seeds, and various drug utensils.

She was arrested and charged with nine offences on May 31, and was back out offending within days.

Destiny Annalise Potter spent a week in Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre while a magistrate considered her sentence.

Witnesses told police in one instance, after Potter was caught trying to break into one house, she ran straight to another house a couple of doors down to try again.

Potter pleaded guilty to four drug charges including possessing utensils and dangerous drugs, trespass and six enter dwelling with intent, break and enter charges.

Her solicitor Cleo Rewald told the court her client had offered no explanation for her behaviour other than that she was “not thinking straight”.

She said Potter had no criminal history and her own mother described her as “a great child”, but the evidence against her was “overwhelming”.

Ms Rewald said the manner of Potter’s offending – which took place in “broad daylight” and involved leaving tools behind at the scene – suggested she was “almost begging to be caught”.

“Most of them [the burglaries] occur close to her own home, so people would know who she is,” Ms Rewald said.

“There’s obviously something going on here that I’m not across.

“I don’t know if she even understands why she’s behaving this way.”

Potter’s solicitor was at a loss to explain her ‘bizarre’ behaviour but suggested underlying mental health issues may have contributed.

Magistrate Athol Kennedy could not decide on the appropriate sentence at Potter’s first appearance on June 8, and ordered she spend a week in Townsville Correctional Centre to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Mr Kennedy said the community of Bowen “needed a break” from Potter’s offending while he considered what the longer term consequences should be.

Sgt Merchant called for a term of imprisonment, saying “a message needs to be sent that gives the community confidence that they can be safe in their own homes”.

Mr Kennedy sentenced Potter to 15 months’ probation and 140 hours of community service.

He also ordered the forfeiture of her “break kit” including a torch, tools and gloves, and “drug related property” including a grinder, scales, and pipes.

No convictions were recorded.