Shania Fay Joyce Conlon: Serial car thief, meth addict jailed

A magistrate has given a serial car thief a tongue lashing after the young meth addict nicked a vehicle merely because she was p****d off.

A 21-year-old woman who has been breaking into houses and stealing cars for years has been jailed after a temper tantrum sparked her latest theft, a court has heard.

Shania Fay Joyce Conlon sat listlessly in the dock at her Cleveland Magistrates Court during her appearance this morning (November 9).

The unemployed meth addict pleaded guilty to multiple charges including unlawful use of a vehicle and failure to appear at court.

The court heard Conlon had a “significant” criminal history running to nine pages, mostly for stealing vehicles, breaking into homes, drug offending and failing to appear at court.

A police prosecutor noted her latest failure to appear was her ninth such offence.

The court was told Conlon was invited to a friend’s house in Zillmere on September 13 when an argument broke out.

A furious Conlon grabbed her victim’s keys and drove off with a white Subaru, later found dumped in Zillmere.

At the time she was on parole and serving three suspended jail sentences for similar offending.

Shania Fay Joyce Conlon. Picture: Facebook.

The police prosecutor said Conlon was most recently sentenced to a suspended prison term, on June 16 at Sandgate Magistrates Court, for failing to appear at court.

Her lawyer, Tanya Lacy, said Conlon had a traumatic upbringing made worse by on and off homelessness and meth use from the age of 12.

Ms Lacy said Conlon had never held a job, was the mother to estranged children aged six and two, and wanted to work in the beauty industry.

She would agree to live with her mother in Alexandra Hills should she gain release.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta acknowledged Conlon’s challenged upbringing but said she was not a victim.

“You have nine pages of criminal history,” Ms Vasta said.

“No one could say we haven’t bent over backwards – the courts, the parole system – to help you.

“Instead you just keep seeing yourself as a victim.

“Nine times you have failed to come to court.

“You have been stealing cars and breaking into people’s houses for years.

“Stealing someone’s car because you are p****d off is just a ridiculous rationalisation for your behaviour.”

Ms Vasta activated Conlon’s three suspended jail sentences and sentenced her to 10 months’ prison with immediate parole eligibility.