Louise Lyel pleads guilty to theft at Moss Vale shop Bowerbird

A convicted fraudster who stole more $74,000 from a local business was busted on CCTV tucking sunglasses into her pocket before getting into her silver Landrover and driving off.

A convicted fraudster who stole more than $74,000 from a local business was back in court again this week where she pleaded guilty to stealing from a Moss Vale shop.

Louise Lyel (also known as Louise Convy), 56, appeared in Moss Vale Local Court on Tuesday, where she pleading guilty to larceny.

The court heard the Robertson resident, who has cut her blonde locks short, was on parole for “dishonesty offences” when she walked into Moss Vale shop Bowerbird on the morning of July 9.

When inside the shop, court documents show Lyel approached the reading glasses display stand, selected two pairs and put them in her jacket pocket. According to the court documents, she then exited the store without attempting to pay for the glasses and got into her silver Landrover, which was parked outside the store on Argyle St.

Louise Lyel appeared in Moss Vale Court on August 7. Picture: Brett Faulkner

The owner of the store checked the CCTV a day later and saw Lyel take the glasses, which are worth $298. He recognised her as a regular customer at the store and notified police.

Lyel was arrested on July 14 and police noted she was nervous and shaking as she denied even entering the store on the day in question, despite the surveillance footage.

Her lawyer Lucinda Schumink said Lyel had a clean record for the majority of her life, despite her childhood trauma.

“That’s all come crashing down after an incident in a violent relationship,” she said.

Ms Schumink said the end of the relationship was a catalyst for Lyel’s deterioration, as she became homeless. The court heard the offender has a history of mental illness which was not assisted by the upheaval in her life.

“She self medicated with alcohol which has exacerbated her mental illness,” Ms Schumink said.

However, the police prosecutor emphasised Lyel had been serving two types of conditional liberty when she stole the glasses.

Convicted fraudster Louise Lyel is back in court again after being charged with larceny.

Court documents reveal Lyel was on parole after she was convicted for multiple charges of dishonestly gaining financial advantage, dishonestly gaining property by deception, and a charge of larceny.

Lyel was convicted for defrauding $74,000 from her former employer in April. The court heard she served a backdated term of imprisonment for the offences and was released the same month.

According to the court documents, her sentence was completed on September 2, just days before her court appearance for the fresh charge of larceny.

The court heard Lyel was also on a community corrections order at the time of the theft.

Lyel will return to Moss Vale Local Court on October 19 for sentencing.