Logan ex-nurse Leah Michelle Farrugia faces court amid bathroom theft

An ex-nurse turned house cleaner has faced court after stealing a bathtub and shower head from an unfinished housing estate build in Logan.

Leah Michelle Farrugia leaving Beenleigh Magistrates Court.

An ex-nurse who moved from Adelaide to Queensland to work as a cleaner has faced court after stealing a bathtub and shower head from a house being built in Logan.

Edens Landing cleaner, Leah Michelle Farrugia, 49, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Friday, November 25, to entering a premise and committing an indictable offence, contravening an order about information stored electronically, drug driving and driving without a licence.

The court heard Farrugia was at a Bahrs Scrub house on July 2 between 4am and 6am.

“She’s stolen an oval bath stub and a fitted black shower rose from the unfinished house,” police prosecutor Sergeant Donna Cole said.

The court heard police found the bathtub and shower head at Farrugia’s property.

“She told police that she has been renovating the unit since 2020 and have been looking at renovations for house inspirations,” Sergeant Cole said.

“She recalled working around the (Bahrs Scrub) estate and found the door open.

“She said that the bathtub was not in the bathroom, however the black shower rose was there.

“She stated she had renovated her bathroom and had installed the black shower rose and a round freestanding bathtub,”

“She told police she purchased the bathtub from a store in Kingston sight unseen.”

On October 12 police executed a search warrant where Farrugia refused to let them access her phone.

“She provided police with her mobile phone, however declined to give them the access code,” Sergeant Cole said.

On July 4 Farrugia was caught drug driving in Woodridge.

“She said that she had smoked cannabis and maybe a couple of puffs of meth in the last couple of weeks,” Sergeant Cole said.

Farrugia’s lawyer said her client needed money at the time.

“She was struggling financially, she had commenced renovations of her property,” she said.

“And unfortunately, she entered the premises of an unfinished property and stole the property.”

Magistrate Michael O’Driscoll said the entering premise offence was extremely serious.

“I’ll give your client one more chance,” he said.

Mr O’Driscoll said her traffic history was appalling.

“Your traffic history is deplorable at best,” he said.

“Seven demerit points this year, 12 demerit points last year.

“Don’t get behind the wheel.”

Farrugia was given a probation order of two years.

She was ordered to pay $1449.86 restitution and was disqualified from driving for six months.

Convictions were recorded for the traffic matters.