Kylah-Rae Rose Foster pleads guilty to robbery, burglary in Bundaberg Magistrates Court

A former takeaway worker with qualifications in aged care and hospitality dabbed her eyes with tissues as she was sentenced for her role in a violent Bundaberg home invasion.

A young woman has escaped spending time behind bars for her role in a violent daylight home invasion.

Kylah-Rae Rose Foster, 25, appeared in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Thursday where she pleaded guilty to two counts of entering a dwelling with intent by break (threatens violence in company) as well as two counts of robbery with actual violence (armed in company, used personal violence).

Foster, a mum of four, appeared via videolink and dabbed her eyes with tissues as the court heard details of the day she joined a group of men breaking into a South Bundaberg unit while the occupants were inside.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Dean Burgess said that while Foster had not been the main offender in the July 9, 2022, incident, it was still serious.

“This is a very serious offence, it’s a burglary of somebody’s house,” he said.

“...You can’t get away from the fact that she’s gone into somebody’s house and committed an offence and it’s a life imprisonment offence, and somebody who is already on parole for extremely serious offences of robbery...”

Foster’s lawyer Matt Maloy said his client was a single woman with a history of meth and cannabis use.

“She proudly instructs me she’s been clean for seven months prior to her incarceration,” he said.

Kylah-Rae Rose Foster became involved in a violent daylight burglary in Bundaberg.

Mr Maloy said Foster suffered from epilepsy, depression and anxiety.

He said Foster had been downstairs from the upstairs unit where the burglary was carried out, and heard a co-accused call-out.

“She ran upstairs, saw a fracas happening, ran in to assist...,” Mr Maloy said.

Foster then got involved by entering the property and assaulting the female occupant of the home.

Magistrate John McInnes said Foster had “found herself embroiled” in the incident after responding to a call from a co-offender.

“You did get physically involved in a tussle with a female in the dwelling,” Mr McInnes said.

Mr McInnes said Foster’s actions were in contrast with one of the male co-accused, who saw what was happening and noticed one of the victims had a young child, and said “don’t do this, he’s got a four-year-old in his arms”.

That co-accused walked away from the attack.

“That’s a wiser head prevailing there,” Mr McInnes said.

“The offence which you have committed carries a maximum of life, you might be surprised to learn.”

Mr McInnes said that for a young offender, prison was not always the only punishment, but Foster had a history with the courts.

She was already on parole for robbery and deprivation of liberty at the time of the offending.

“You were very unwise to go anywhere near this incident in that circumstance,” he said.

The court was told Foster had made an early guilty plea after the incident.

Foster was sentenced to 12 months’ prison, suspended for 18 months.

Her 89 days of pre-sentence custody was taken into account, but not declared as time served.

Originally published as Kylah-Rae Rose Foster pleads guilty to robbery, burglary in Bundaberg Magistrates Court