Woman charged with stealing goods donated to firefighters
A mother was allegedly caught on CCTV breaking into a Western Sydney supermarket and stealing donations destined for the Rural Fire Service before leading police on a wild Christmas Day car chase.
NSW
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A mother who allegedly stole donations destined for the Rural Fire Service before leading police on a wild Christmas day car chase in Sydney’s west will remain behind bars for at least another week.
Josephine Trask, 37, appeared in Parramatta Bail Court on Thursday after being arrested and charged with negligent driving and breaking and entering.
She was arrested after she crashed a car into a fence in St Albans Rd in Kingsgrove.
Police accuse her of breaking into a Woolworths store in Schofields, on Christmas Day, before allegedly stealing food, drinks and SIM cards which had been donated to the RFS.
It is alleged the unlicensed driver then jumped behind the wheel of a car, leading police on a chase through Sydney’s streets. The police helicopter was called in to help track Trask, who had a man, 48, allegedly travelling in the car with her.
“Ms Trask comes before you with a history that can be described as a short novel,” police prosecutor Leesa McEvoy told the court.
“Not a criminal history. She is unlicensed — that means she does not have a right to be on the road.
“This offence occurred at 3.40pm on Christmas day. It is not out of the realms of possibility that families would be on the streets at this time.
“She failed to stop for police to the extent that POLAIR had to be used. The prosecution has a strong case with CCTV footage of the break and enter also.”
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Trask, who now has short dyed-red hair, shouted from the docks and wept and tried to explain herself.
Her legal aid representative and Magistrate Daphne Kok repeatedly asked her to stop her outbursts.
“I was depressed for a little while and the older man came along and sort of led me astray,” she said from the dock.
Ms Kok refused her application for bail for due to the severity of the charges and her driving history.
“It is unlikely that if you were released on bail you would not commit further. You need some help. You need to find out why you’re acting the way you are,” she told the court.
“I think it is almost certain you would receive a custodial sentence for the matters you have been charged with.”
“I cannot see how you could be safely released at the present.”
Trask will remain behind bars until the matter returns to Parramatta Local Court on January 7.
Before the court appearance, police said Trask was with a 48-year-old man when she drove off from the supermarket along Railway Terrace. The pair were arrested together.
The man was charged with possess prescribed restricted substance and was granted bail to appear before Blacktown Local Court on February 3
Bushfires ripping through NSW on Thursday and Saturday last week have left two firefighters dead and as many as 100 houses destroyed.
An RFS spokesman said it would be disappointing if someone had tried to take advantage of the community’s generosity.
“It’s heartbreaking that someone would want to take from people that have been so generous,” he said.
“The kindness of the community has been overwhelming and it’s disappointing anyone would want to take advantage of that.”