Markaya Jay Barsley Amory pleads guilty to 16 offences including unlawful use of a motor vehicle

A Townsville mum of four with a history of drug offending has pleaded guilty to stolen car related offences. Here’s what happened in court.

A 25-year-old mother of four who is still breastfeeding her youngest, has faced 16 charges, including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, in the Townsville Magistrates Court.

Markaya Jay Barsley Amory pleaded guilty to all 16 charges, which also included stealing and possession of a dangerous drug offences.

Prosecutor Danny Burke told the court that the unlawful use charge involved a stolen Holden Colorado.

He said Barsley Amory’s fingerprints were found in the vehicle.

“The Townsville community is sick of these offences being committed,” he said.

He said two stealing charges involved items Barsley Amory had taken from Woolworths and Bunnings stores.

“She also has a number of drug offences and failure to appear in court charges that show a disregard for the court process,” said Mr Burke.

Barsley Amory’s lawyer, Phil Rennick, said his client was a mother of four children, all under four, with the latest being born in November last year.

He said she was still breastfeeding her fourth child.

“She was a constant witness to domestic violence in her childhood and has been diagnosed with anxiety and other issues,” he said.

“She has never been employed and has had former problems with previous drug use but is now getting help for that problem.”

Mr Rennick said his client had not reoffended while on remand for the past six months.

Magistrate Susan Warrington noted that Barsley Amory had a three-page criminal history dating back to 2015.

She reminded the young mother that unlawful use of a motor vehicle now carried a maximum penalty of 10 years’ jail, which showed how seriously the community viewed that crime.

She sentenced Barsley Amory to 12 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for 12 months.

The woman’s grandmother and other family members breathed sighs of relief as she was able to walk out of the courtroom with them.

Originally published as Markaya Jay Barsley Amory pleads guilty to 16 offences including unlawful use of a motor vehicle