Olivia Dow in Taree court for identity theft crimes

A young Mid North Coast woman who ‘hijacked’ people’s personal details while on a district court order ‘for exactly the same thing’ has been sentenced.

Taree Local Court.

A young woman effectively put a district court order “in the toilet” and continued offending; stealing people’s identity to access superannuation, it was heard in Forster Local Court.

Olivia Dow was facing several serious charges after police raided the Taree home she was sharing with her then-partner, who her lawyer told the court was the real ring leader of the operation, in April 2022.

Her lawyer told the court Dow was not the ringleader but was “in love” and taking drugs at the time but is now clean.

According to police documents tendered to court, officers found bank statements, NSW drivers’ licences, Medicare cards and mail belonging to other people.

The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to possessing identity information to commit an indictable offence while a number of other charges including having goods in her custody suspected of being stolen were withdrawn.

Olivia Dow. Picture: Facebook

Some of the identity documents were used to access superannuation payments from superannuation company SuperChoice.

Dow appeared before Magistrate Allison Hawkins at Taree court on March 22 for sentencing with her lawyer saying that although her client had a “significant criminal past”, she had spent the past 11 months since being on bail for the recent offences turning her life around and getting clean.

But Ms Hawkins told the court she wasn’t buying the story that Dow was the “poor innocent one” - labelling it “rubbish”.

Ms Hawkins told the court Dow had committed the offences “while on a district court bond for exactly the same thing”.

“You have taken a district court bond and put it in the toilet by continuing to conduct criminal activity,” she said.

Ms Hawkins also wanted proof that Dow was clean from drugs, particularly cocaine, adding “police are remarkably inefficient at detecting that drug in the community.”

Her lawyer argued Dow should not be sent to jail.

“If she goes back into custody she might go back to her old ways,” the lawyer said.

In sentencing, Ms Hawkins told Dow “I can appreciate you were in a terrible relationship and in the terrible grip of drugs but identity theft is a very significant problem in the community.

“You have hijacked their details and compromised them.

“The only thing saving you from full-time jail is the urine analysis showing you have remained abstinent but jail is still very much hanging over your head.”

For possessing identity information to commit indictable offence; possessing a prohibited drug; and recklessly deal with proceeds of crime (less than $5000), Dow was sentenced to an 18-month intensive correction order.

Dow must also be of good behaviour, submit to random urine analysis and perform 150 hours of community service.