Narjia Catherine Rachel Murphy: Young woman sentenced for brazen COVID order breach

A court has heard why a young Maroochydore woman failed to comply with both court and health directives on multiple occasions.

A young Sunshine Coast woman burst into tears when she thought she was going back to prison for committing 13 offences, including breaching a COVID public health direction, at the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Narjia Catherine Rachel Murphy, 25, from Maroochydore, pleaded guilty to all 13 charges, which included six counts of breach of bail, two counts of possession of dangerous drugs and driving with a drug present between June 2018 and April this year.

The most serious of the offences was the breach of the COVID public health direction on April 16, 2020 at Slacks Creek, when Murphy entered a public place for a non-essential purpose.

The remainder were characterised as “low level offending” by both the prosecution and the defence, but given Murphy’s prior sentence to two years imprisonment at the Beenleigh District Court on November 7, 2019, they held greater significance to the court.

The court heard Murphy had a difficult upbringing in Logan, having lost her mother at a young age and experienced violence at the hands of several romantic partners, from which she still suffers the psychological scars.

Narjia Catherine Rachel Murphy was found guilty of 13 offences, including breaching a public health directive.

Murphy’s lawyer told the court it was for this reason his client struggled to meet her day-to-day obligations and failed to report to parole on so many occasions.

Police prosecutor Tim Wise noted Murphy’s offending was consistent with someone who “seemingly has issues with drug addiction”.

Murphy’s lawyer told the court his client had used methamphetamines and cannabis in the past but did not agree she had an addiction.

As the Magistrate read Murphy’s sentence he impressed upon her the seriousness of reoffending given her criminal history, explaining how her prior offending could lead to a prison sentence.

At this, Murphy started crying and her lawyer sought to reassure her she would not be going to prison on this occasion.

“I can’t let your history dictate the seriousness of these offences,” the Magistrate said.

“We’re not here for your past.

“But whenever you come before a court that’s going to be on your record.”

Murphy was sentenced to six months’ probation and fined $1300.

Convictions were recorded.