Sharr Fernley pleads guilty to thefts from Uni Hills Factory Outlets in Bundoora

A young mum who used her pram to steal children’s clothes from a Bundoora shopping centre while her friend carried her infant son thought she had gotten away with her crime. But another trip to shoplift more items proved her undoing.

Sharr Fernley pleaded guilty to multiple counts of theft after she was caught stealing clothes from Uni Hill Factory Outlets in Bundoora.

A pram-pushing mum has pleaded guilty to multiple counts of theft after she was caught stealing clothes from a Bundoora shopping centre by hiding them in the baby carrier.

Mum-of-two Sharr Fernley, 28, fronted the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court yesterday facing theft charges for stealing shoes, shorts, children’s wear and other clothes from Uni Hill Factory Outlets in Bundoora in November 2018.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Sally Whyte told the court security footage showed Fernley unpacking a pram from her car about 1pm on November 14 and pushing it into the centre, while a friend carried her infant son.

Sen-Constable Whyte said the pair were later filmed smiling and high-fiving each other as Fernley wheeled the pram back to the car where she unloaded the stolen goods.

But it was Fernley’s second trip back to the centre for another round of five-fingered discounts that was her undoing.

Sen-Constable Whyte told the court the pair immediately returned to the shops where a store attendant saw Fernley attempt to hide clothing inside her pram.

She said the attendant then raised the alarm and tried to stop Fernley leaving the shop by grabbing hold of her pram.

Fernley proceeded to ditch the pram and run with her friend and baby in tow, Sen-Constable Whyte said.

She said Fernley denied stealing the clothing when police interviewed her days later.

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But Fernley’s defence lawyer told the court his client now accepted full responsibility for her actions.

Fernley had not reoffended since the thefts, had no prior criminal history and had since moved to Queensland for a “fresh start”, he said.

He also told the court his client suffered depression and anxiety, which was exacerbated three months prior to the offence by her partner’s unexpected death.

“That was a particularly difficult period of her life, your honour; her partner committed suicide,” he said.

Magistrate Meagan Keogh sentenced Fernley to an adjourned undertaking without conviction to be on good behaviour for a year.

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