Townsville: Ellenor Joy Butler sentenced after using counterfeit cash four times at same service station
A pregnant Townsville mum tried to use fake $50 notes four times at the one service station — but what happened next sealed her fate.
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A Townsville mother who used fake $50 notes during four visits to the same service station on the same day has been sentenced in court.
A court has heard how Ellenor Joy Butler, 31, a single mother with a young daughter and another child on the way, broke the law several times at local service stations in recent months.
On March 13 and May 23, she filled up her car with $50 worth of fuel, before making excuses why she couldn’t pay and failing to return to settle her debts.
Police prosecutor Harriet Hearn said on August 9, Butler visited a Townsville service station using a counterfeit $50 note to pay for $20 worth of fuel, before returning with another fake $50 to pay for a $4.30 drink, and again with a $50 to buy a pie.
When she handed over a fourth counterfeit $50 to buy a $2.50 lighter, a worker questioned the notes and Butler said they came from an ATM.
Police executed a search warrant at her property the next day where they found cannabis and drug paraphernalia including a cone piece, two bongs and three grinders.
“When questioned about the money, she said she didn’t know it was fake until staff told her at the service station,” Ms Hearn said.
She couldn’t explain the origin of the fake notes and justified using a fresh $50 note each time “because she didn’t like carrying large notes”.
Butler was charged with drug driving at Yabulu on June 3, where police located half a point of methamphetamine in a glass pipe under her seat.
She was busted twice for unlicensed driving and police found a set of electronic scales when they pulled her over on August 30.
Appearing in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday, Butler pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud, two counts of unauthorised dealing with shop goods, possessing property used in connection with a drug offence, unlicensed driving, and single counts of possessing counterfeit money, attempted fraud, driving while a relevant drug is present, contravene requirement of police, possessing dangerous drugs, and a pipe that had been used.
Ms Hearn said Butler no longer had the benefit of youth, and wasn’t deterred by previous punishments, despite being on probation for more serious offending.
The prosecutor called for a lengthy period of community service to repay the community for the fraudulent behaviour.
Defence lawyer Thomas Proctor said his client had paid back one of the service stations.
He said her drug offending was triggered by the death ex-partner, who was hit by a car while walking his dog – leaving her with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Given her good rehabilitation prospects and intention to rejoin the workforce, he asked the magistrate not to damage her employment prospects by recording convictions for the frauds.
Magistrate Ross Taylor noted that drugs were a trigger for Butler’s offending and he was concerned by the lack of deterrence from previous punishments.
He sentenced her to 100 hours of community service, with a 12 month licence disqualification, and a conviction recorded for the counterfeit charge.
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Originally published as Townsville: Ellenor Joy Butler sentenced after using counterfeit cash four times at same service station
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