Stephanie Bennett, woman who tried to pin speeding ticket on dead Sea World pilot, fined

A woman who pleaded guilty to using the identity of a pilot killed in the Sea World helicopter tragedy has been sentenced. LATEST PICS

A woman who tried to pin a traffic ticket on a pilot who died in the Sea World Helicopters tragedy has received a criminal conviction and been fined $2000 during a courtroom sentence.

Stephanie Louise Bennett, 34, pleaded guilty to using the identity of helicopter pilot Ash Jenkinson after she was caught on camera using her mobile phone while behind the wheel on 15 December last year.

Stephanie Bennett arriving at Beenleigh Court on Friday. Picture: Matthew Poon

Stephanie Bennett outside court on Friday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Mr Jenkinson was one of four people who died in the aviation disaster outside the Gold Coast theme park on January 2.

Facing Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Friday, Bennett pleaded guilty to fraud by dishonestly inducing a person to act and one count of obtaining or dealing with another’s identity for the purpose of committing an indictable offence.

The mother-of-two forklift driver broke down in tears as details of her case were relayed to the court.

Stephanie Bennett outside the Beenleigh Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Bennett was trying to avoid the mandatory $1,078 fine when she went online on January 9 - a week after the helicopter tragedy, to claim she was not the one at fault.

Bennett used personal details from Jenkinson’s death notice to claim he was the one who committed the offence.

Bennett’s fine was subsequently waived and the offence was redirected to Mr Jenkinson, whose grief-stricken widow received the notice in the mail and contacted police.

Lawyer Zane Chapman with his client Stephanie Bennett. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Police prosecutor Tahlia Boettcher said Mr Jenkinson’s widow “would have been incredibly traumatised” to receive the infringement notice.

“The community denounces this kind of behaviour,” she said.

She told the court Bennett made full admissions when confronted by police and was “extremely remorseful”, particularly after she learnt who Mr Jenkinson was.

“She did not realise who he was… she did not watch the news and then she became even more distressed at what she had done,” she said.

Sea World Helicopters pilot Ash Jenkinson and partner Kosha Richardson-Johnson.

During an earlier appearance at Beenleigh Magistrates Court, Bennett said she was going through “personal matters” and “financial troubles” at the time, and had tried to cancel the alleged fraudulent declaration the following day, but wasn’t able to.

Defence lawyer Zane Chapman said his client had no criminal history and was an otherwise law-abiding citizen who had “been humiliated in the media”.

“She didn’t seek to cause any harm,” he said.

“She is embarrassed and this offending is quite out of character.”

Lawyer Zane Chapman with his client Stephanie Bennett. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Magistrate Mark Howden conceded Bennett was a “hard working member of the community… but she has made a grave mistake”.

“The court must send a strong message,” he said.

“The administration of justice relies on citizens telling the truth.

“You caused great distress to the deceased’s family.

“(But) You showed genuine remorse.

“You’ve been publicly humiliated.”

However he also recorded a criminal conviction.

Bennett covered her face in a black shawl as she left court and did not answer questions from the media, but she could be heard sobbing as Mr Chapman spoke of her remorse for Mr Jenkinson’s family.