Alana Murray: Launceston mum free after spending six weeks behind bars on 29 charges
A Tasmanian woman who pleaded guilty to 29 offences including multiple burglaries and motor vehicle thefts has walked free after spending approximately six weeks behind bars. What happened in court.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Updated 3pm Tuesday: A young Tasmanian mum who spent approximately six weeks behind bars has been freed after a magistrate suspended the rest of her sentence and declared time served.
Summerhill woman Alana Lynette Murray, 25, previously pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court to 29 offences.
The most serious of which were committed during a wild two-week period between April 10–26 that saw her commit four burglaries, steal two vehicles, and evade police recklessly in the stolen vehicles twice.
Murray spent between May 8–31 remanded in custody, and again from July 20.
On Tuesday morning, Magistrate Simon Brown set Murray free, backdating an eight-week head sentence and imposing an additional three-month sentence, suspended for a period of 18 months.
Mr Brown disqualified her from driving for two year and ordered she pay comensation – more than $8000 was being sought by her victims.
“Heavy drug usage led to the offending... rehabilitation is a significant sentencing factor,” Mr Brown said.
“The aggravated evasion offences were serious, they represented episodes where the lives and property of people were placed at risk in stolen vehicles.
“It was put to me the offending occurred during a distinct, discrete period in your life where drugs had a hold on you and you’d fallen into a drug-taking and lawless crowd.”
Mr Brown said he mostly agreed with that submission.
“You will be the master of your own fate,” Mr Brown told Murray.
Car thefts, burglaries: How young, jailed mum’s life fell apart
Earlier, 5am Tuesday: A young Tasmanian mum committed four burglaries, stole two cars and evaded police twice in the space of less than a fortnight, a court has heard.
Summerhill woman Alana Lynette Murray, 25, previously pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court to 29 offences, with the facts heard before Magistrate Simon Brown on Monday.
Among her offending included three counts of burglary, one of aggravated burglary, eight counts of stealing, three counts of motor vehicle stealing, two counts of aggravated evading police, and two counts of reckless driving.
Murray has been remanded in custody since July 20 and also spent May 8–31 behind bars, the court was told.
Her most serious offending occurred between April 15–24 this year, the court was told.
In the early hours of April 15, Murray and two male accomplices armed with a crowbar committed burglaries at Zi Hair on Charles St, Launceston Allied Health on Canning St, and of a vehicle parked at Hog’s Breath Cafe, stealing approximately $8000 worth of goods in total.
On April 24 at Invermay business Total Air Supplies, Murray let herself into a white Toyota Corolla, which had the keys inside, in plain view of the owner, the court heard.
As Murray attempted to start the vehicle, the owner approached the vehicle and, when unable to open the door, punched through the driver’s side window and grabbed Murray by the head.
She reversed, drove forward over some bollards, then changed direction “abruptly” and drove directly at the complainant, screaming, “I’ll kill you c---,” the court was told.
That night, Murray committed a burglary of a Summerhill residence that netted her a silver Ford Falcon, which police detected the following evening in Devonport.
As police watched on, Murray stalled the vehicle on William St, restarted it, “did a burnout then fishtailed onto the wrong side of the road,” before accelerating onto Bass Hwy and out of sight.
At 12.25am the following morning, April 26, Murray was arrested in Devonport on other matters and was bailed several hours later. After her release, she hopped back in the stolen vehicle and drove it back to Launceston.
At about 7.15am at Hadspen, near Entally House, Murray fell asleep at the wheel, crashed into a tree and rolled before fleeing on foot. Attending police discovered her backpack still containing her fresh bail notice inside the destroyed vehicle.
Among this offending, there was a separate incident of evading police on Formby Rd, Devonport, where Murray travelled. at an estimated speed of 100km/h in a 60-zone.
Defence lawyer Lucy Flanagan told the court her client fell in with the “wrong” crowd and turned to illicit substances.
She said her client, whose source of income was Centrelink payments, turned to property crime in April to fuel her addiction.
She said her client had little criminal history previously and would have full-time care of her three-year-old child upon her release.
Spending her first weeks in prison had been an “incredibly sobering and terrifying experience for her,” Ms Flanagan said.
Mr Brown adjourned his decision on sentence to Tuesday.
More Coverage
Originally published as Alana Murray: Launceston mum free after spending six weeks behind bars on 29 charges
Barefoot interstate tourist fails Cradle Mountain climb attempt
A walker who attempted to climb Cradle Mountain barefoot has been assisted to safety after reporting he was unable to walk. The details.
‘Heartbreaking’: The dogs no-one in Tasmania wants
Shelters are finding some breeds of dogs are particularly hard to re-home, with some staying more than a year. Here’s some of the long-term residents looking for a home.