Olympian Chantelle Lee Newbery back in Toowoomba Magistrates Court two weeks after being handed suspended jail sentence

After she was sentenced to a term of imprisonment with immediate parole just two weeks ago, the 45-year-old former golden girl has returned to a Toowoomba court. See why here.

Just two weeks after being sentenced to jail term with immediate parole for stealing groceries, gold medal Olympic diver Chantelle Lee Newbery was back before the Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

Newbery, 45, was not required to be in court on Wednesday when a charge of unlawfully using a motor vehicle was mentioned, but she was represented by Bouchier Khan Lawyers solicitor Nathan Bouchier.

Mr Bouchier said he was awaiting Legal Aid funding for his client who was to provide necessary financial documents for that purpose on Wednesday.

Magistrate Kay Philipson said if Newbery didn’t provide the particulars to Mr Bouchier she would be expected to be in court in person at the next mention of the matter on February 15.

Olympic gold medallist Chantelle Lee Newbery

Newbery has not been required to enter any plea to the charge and no details of the police allegations were aired in court.

The 45-year-old, who won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games in the 10m platform diving event, was sentenced by the same court on January 11 to eight months in jail, but released on immediate parole, after she pleaded guilty to stealing $383 worth of groceries from the Clifford Gardens Woolworths on July 28, 2022.

She had previous convictions for stealing.

Police prosecutor Anita Page told the court Newbery had simply walked out of Woolworths with a shopping trolley full of groceries, later telling police she was staying with her sister and they had no food at home and no money to pay for it.

The court was told Newbery had turned to drug use after a divorce followed by the death of her new partner and then the death of her mother.

She had suffered homelessness in the past but now had stable accommodation in Redbank Plains where she cared for her 18-month-old niece, the court was told.

Newbery remains on bail in relation to the unlawful use of a motor vehicle charge.

Originally published as Olympian Chantelle Lee Newbery back in Toowoomba Magistrates Court two weeks after being handed suspended jail sentence