Meth addict mum allegedly steals from dementia patient

An alleged burglary on a particularly vulnerable victim has led to the mother of a two-year-old being denied bail.

Loud protestations did little to sway a magistrate from denying the bail of an admitted meth addict alleged to have cut a flyscreen to steal a credit card off a sleeping 72-year-old dementia patient at a care home.

Appearing from custody in the dock at Cleveland Magistrates Court on Friday an irate Rachelle Cheree Ballard, 37, would be led straight back to remand but not before letting loose with some invective.

“Please, please my kids,” she yelled.

“I was clean for nearly four years, for f**k’s sake.”

The court heard Capalaba woman Ballard allegedly committed five instances of fraud on November 14 with a credit card she allegedly stole from a sleeping dementia patient in her own suburb on the same day.

Rachelle Ballard has fronted Cleveland Magistrates Court. Picture: Facebook

Charged with one count of enter dwelling and commit indictable offence and five counts of fraud, the defendant would earn a not-so-subtle rebuke from the magistrate when, through her lawyer, she complained she might lose her government housing should she be kept in remand.

“I guess most people who are out there on the waiting list for the Department of Housing would be mortified that taxpayers are paying not only for her housing but, it seems, her drugs and maybe there are people more worthy that should be given that housing,” Magistrate Deborah Vasta said.

“I am, of course, just playing devil’s advocate here.”

Defence solicitor Sarah Pascoe said the mother of a two-year-old had suffered a relapse after the breakdown of an eight-year relationship which would precipitate her alleged offending.

Ms Pascoe also made the distinction that most of Ballard’s offending was property related.

However, the court would hear the defendant faced further drugs charges including allegedly being found in possession of 1.1 grams of meth “and other drugs” during a property search on October 16.

On that day, the court was told, Ballard allegedly told police to “get f****d” upon being asked the password to her mobile phone and ran away from officers.

But it would be alleged text messages uncovered by police reading, “what can I swap for a point (of drugs)?” that would seal the magistrate’s decision to deny bail.

“You need to detox and will say anything to get out of jail,” Magistrate Vasta said.

Ballard will remain in custody until her next scheduled court appearance on December 16.

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