Kirsten Teneal Corney sentenced in Proserpine Magistrates Court over stolen e-scooter

A Whitsunday woman has learned her fate after police caught her with a stolen e-scooter. She says she bought it from a friend.

The Proserpine Court House on the morning on August 8, 2022. Picture: Janessa Ekert

A Cannonvale woman has found herself in hot water after she claimed she accidentally bought a stolen scooter from a mate.

The 48 year old had lost her licence and thought the $350 was a bargain.

Proserpine Magistrates Court heard a nine vault electric scooter was stolen from the beach at Coral Sea Resort on August 25, 2024.

Police were then led to Kirsten Teneal Corney’s home on September 7, 2024 where officers searched the property and the stolen scooter was found.

PD Lawyers solicitor Peta Blundell said it was unfortunately the case that Corney was trusting.

“She lost her licence and was offered this scooter from someone she considered an acquaintance,” Ms Blundell said.

“For the price of $350, which she at the time considered quite reasonable, perhaps in hindsight for an electric scooter it was probably a little bit cheap.

“But it did help her regain a little bit of independence.”

Corney pleaded guilty to receiving tainted property, and contravening a direction or requirement of a police officer for not attending Whitsunday Police Station after being issued an identifying particulars notice.

The court heard that Corney had a very limited criminal history with no entries prior to September 2024 despite having “some pretty big difficulties in her life”, suffering from anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, and fibromyalgia, and being a victim of domestic violence.

Magistrate Michelle Howard said she hoped Corney had “learned some lessons” from this situation.

“It’s unfortunate that at this stage of your life you have now come to the courts twice within a relatively short space of time,” she said.

Corney pleaded guilty to both charges and was given a $400 fine, convictions were not recorded.