Debbie Jane Richards, 34, charged with accessory to murder, in Logan court for bid to remove ankle monitor

A Toowoomba woman on bail for alleged accessory after the fact in the murder of a man in 2021 has faced a Logan court for “bizarre’’ offences involving an ankle monitor, a court has heard.

Debbie Jane Richards, 34, charged with accessory after the fact for murder, has faced Beenleigh Magistrates Court for a bizarre battle with an ankle monitor.

A Toowoomba woman on bail for alleged accessory after the fact in the murder of a 53-year-old man in 2021 has faced a Logan court for “bizarre’’ offences involving an ankle monitor, a court has heard.

Debbie Jane Richards, 34, was charged with accessory after the fact last year in relation to the death of Andrew Hegarty, whose body was found inside a North Toowoomba home on Christmas Eve, 2021.

Aaron John Leslie Bunt, 29, and William John Currey, 32 were charged with murder. Their matters would next be mentioned on July 13.

Beenleigh Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday, July 4 that Richards was on Supreme Court bail, for the accessory after the fact charge, when she pleaded guilty to two breaches of bail and unlawfully trespassing.

The court heard that on May 26, in Logan Central, Richards breached her bail conditions by failing to report to a police station.

She also breached her bail conditions on June 1 by attempting to remove her ankle monitor.

The court was told the company responsible for the ankle monitor received a notification that Richards was interfering with the tracking device.

Richards told police she had simply moved the device on her ankle because it was uncomfortably pinching her skin.

But the court was told she had tampered with the device on seven occasions.

She also unlawfully trespassed at a friend’s home in Woodridge on May 19, in what defence lawyer Zane Chapman said were bizarre circumstances.

“The trespassing charge is a bizarre one,” he said.

“She essentially walked into the house with her friend, who lived there, had a cup of tea and then is charged for trespassing.”

Richards was at the home for four hours.

Magistrate Gary Finger said her criminal history was very poor.

“If you keep breaching these bail conditions, your bail will be revoked. You need to wake up to yourself,” he said.

He sentenced her to two months’ prison, wholly suspended for two months.

She had already served 33 days of pre-sentence custody.