Tuggerah: Serial shoplifter Donna Maree Bateson finally jailed after slamming car boot on security guard’s head

A serial shoplifter, who slammed her car boot on the head of a ‘nosy’ security guard, has been jailed. Ironically, it was for the only thing she didn’t take. See why here.

Donna Maree Bateson leaving Wyong Local Court after a previous appearance for shoplifting. Picture: NewsLocal

As a serial shoplifter, Donna Maree Bateson was given warning after warning.

Time and again the now 44-year-old mother of four was given opportunity after opportunity to change her behaviour.

Ironically, a magistrate has told a court it was her failure to take heed of these lifelines, which ultimately landed her in jail.

Bateson, of Toukley, was sentenced to a 12-month intensive correction order (ICO) last year after pleading guilty to 29 counts of shoplifting more than $16,000 worth of power tools from Bunnings Warehouses at West Gosford and Lake Haven.

An ICO is considered by the court as the equivalent of a jail sentence but served in the community.

Bateson leaving court after a previous appearance. She didn’t leave via the front door on Wednesday. Picture: NewsLocal

She was still on this ICO — as well as two subsequent community correction orders (CCOs) for separate shoplifting offences — when she was captured on CCTV at Westfield Tuggerah placing items in a trolley and then walking out of two stores without paying shortly before 3pm on April 27 this year.

An agreed set of facts states she stole $98.40 worth of clothing and skincare products from Big W and $106.95 worth of goods from TK Maxx.

She was loading the stolen loot into the back of her purple Honda Odyssey when two loss prevention officers approached her in the car park.

“While speaking to [a female security guard] and [a male guard] at the rear of the vehicle, the accused has closed the boot of the vehicle,” the facts state.

“In doing this the accused has caused the boot of the vehicle to collide with the head of [the female security guard] causing immediate pain. The accused then entered her vehicle and drove away.”

Police attended Bateson’s home on Main Rd, Toukley, a few days later and saw her purple car in the driveway.

Bateson was stopped by security in the car park after leaving BigW at Westfield Tuggerah. NSW. Picture: Google

Bateson denied shoplifting and assaulting the female security guard, instead telling police she accidentally hit the loss prevention officer when she slammed her boot shut because the woman was “being nosy” and “trying to get into my boot”.

Almost a month later on May 30, Bateson was picked up driving while her P2 licence was suspended at Gorokan after turning down a couple of side streets for “no apparent reason other than to attempt to avoid police”, the facts state.

She failed a roadside breath test and later recorded a “special range” reading of 0.013 given her limit was zero on her suspended provisional licence.

Bateson faced Wyong Local Court on Wednesday where her solicitor Wayne Russell entered guilty pleas to a further five counts of shoplifting which she had been charged with since her previous court appearance last month.

The court heard Bateson had stolen everything from $35 worth of chicken nuggets, to male clothing and a bottle of Smirnoff vodka.

Mr Russell said while he was minded of St Jude he did not believe Bateson was “a lost cause” and implored the magistrate to give her one more opportunity.

However, Magistrate John Arms said “opportunities and warnings” were the only thing Bateson didn’t take and sentenced her to 18 months jail with a non-parole period of nine months.

“If you look at each offence individually they are not at the high end ... however, what has been learnt?” he asked her.

“When you did get caught you then assaulted someone, you slammed your boot on the head of someone ... these are not the actions of someone showing remorse.

“You were on a custodial sentence at the time and you continued to go along your path.”