A Townsville mother has been jailed after pleading guilty to entering premises

The mother of three was jailed after pleading guilty to a string of serious offences after she was busted breaking into local businesses.

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A FORMER Townsville nurse has been jailed after she spiralled into a life of heavy drug use and serious crime.

Alissa Maree O’Neill, 34, pleaded guilty to 14 charges in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday via videolink from the Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre.

The charges included three counts of enter premises and commit indictable offences by break, one count of entering premises with intent, one count of receiving tainted property and another of possessing tainted property.

She was further charged with one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, possessing a pipe that had been used, driving unlicensed, uninsured and unregistered and failing to appear in court.

The court heard the mother of three was in the company of two men she had only just met when a number of premises including a cafe and post office were broken into and entered by the men in the early hours of the morning on December 27 last year.

O’Neill’s lawyer Emily Olditch said her client did not physically enter the premises but accepted she was present and “provided assistance”.

Alissa O'Neill pleaded guilty to a string of charges in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday. Photo: Facebook.

Ms Olditch said O’Neill was a “fully qualified” Registered Nurse whose life spiralled out of control in 2019 when her seven-year marriage came to an end, causing her to heavily use drugs for relief.

Police prosecutor Anita Page said O’Neill’s offending was “prevalent and serious” and said much of it was committed while O’Neill was on bail.

Ms Page said O’Neill also stole a pair of shoes worth $84 from Target in addition to being a passenger in a vehicle when she was charged with unlawful use.

“All offences were committed in breach of a suspended sentence,” Ms Page said.

Ms Olditch said her client’s time in custody had been a “huge wake-up call” and a very difficult time for her.

Magistrate Kenneth Taylor took into account O’Neill’s previous good behaviour and service to the community before her offending commenced.

Mr Taylor said, however, imprisonment was the only option available and sentenced O’Neill to nine months’ jail for the three counts of enter premises and commit indictable offences by break.

For the entering premises with intent charge O’Neill was further sentenced to eight months imprisonment and a further eight months for the unlawful use of a vehicle charge.

For the stealing charge she was sentenced to three months and receiving tainted property another month.

For failing to appear in court, possessing drug utensils, driving while unregistered and driving uninsured she was convicted and not further punished.

O’Neill will be eligible for parole on August 17 with 82 days pre-sentence custody declared.

All convictions were recorded.

Originally published as A Townsville mother has been jailed after pleading guilty to entering premises