Banking error gives thousands of dollars to struggling single mum, but almost costs her jail time

A struggling single mum surprised to see a significant boost in her spending account never questioned where it came from until police knocked on her door.

A mysterious bank transfer of more than $4800 seemed like a financial blessing for a struggling single mum in Brisbane’s north, but spending the money came at a hefty cost after she was found guilty of stealing at the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court.

The court heard Bridgette Jean Mackay, from Petrie, was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so when a large sum of money appeared in her CUA bank account on December 4 she chalked it up to missing child support payments and quickly transferred it into her spending account.

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Little did she know, the money had been mistakenly transferred to her by a travel agent in Victoria who had been attempting to refund an overseas holiday.

The victims in the matter, a Victorian couple who were forced to cancel their travel plans, provided the travel agent with the wrong bank account number, resulting in an error which saw Mackay momentarily thousands of dollars richer.

The bank’s attempts to contact Mackay were unsuccessful, until a letter was delivered to her mother’s home on July 15, some seven months after the incident.

The court heard the Petrie woman was surprised to see an additional $4800 in her bank account, but presumed it came from her child’s father. Picture: iStock

The lawyer for the defence told the court Mackay intended to return the money as soon as she realised, but between working full time and caring for her child, three weeks quickly passed.

Her next reminder came in the form of a police visit to her home on August 6, the same date she finally made the transfer and returned the money in full.

Mackay pleaded guilty to one charge of stealing.

Magistrate Trevor Morgan warned Mackay that, though she was predominantly guilty by inaction, the sum of money meant she risked going to jail.

She was placed on a $500 good behaviour bond for two years and no conviction was recorded.