Pregnant mum faces court after breaking into golf club

The woman, pregnant with twins, faced court on 15 charges including breaking into a South Burnett golf club.

GOLF CLUB BREAK IN: A 23-year-old Cherbourg woman faced Murgon Magistrates Court on a string of offences. Picture: File

A YOUNG mum pregnant with twins racked up 15 charges over several months including breaking into the Murgon Golf Club.

The 23-year-old Cherbourg woman faced Murgon Magistrates Court on July 21, charged with several offences including 13 breaches of bail, failure to appear in accordance with an undertaking, and entering a premise to commit an indictable offence by break.

Police prosecutor sergeant Barry Stevens told the court of the midnight caper on September 19, where she attended the premises with two juveniles.

Sgt Stevens said the offenders smashed a door to allow access and stole multiple items including chocolates, alcohol and drinks.

The defendant acted as the lookout during the incident according to court documents.

Approximately $595.67 worth of items and damages were sought by the club as restitution according to Sgt Stevens, with the woman owing a third of that.

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"The reality is the juveniles won't be able to pay the restitution," he said.

"So the golf club will be out of pocket."

The court heard the remaining charges related to numerous breaches of bail last year, with the defendant eventually handing herself into police in February after failing to appear in December.

In his submissions Sgt Stevens said the woman has issues with failing to appear, citing convictions in 2014, 2015, and 2019.

He told the court she was on probation when the offences were committed, but acknowledged her medical condition, and the fact she was a young offender.

Defence lawyer Bonnie Djordjevic told the court the defendant accepted she acted as a lookout during the break in, but was intoxicated at the time.

Ms Djordjevic said the defendant had encountered several hardships in recent years, which included her medical condition, and her partner being unable to provide support due to being in custody.

The court heard the defendant had been moving back and forth from Rockhampton, Cherbourg and Brisbane, but eventually wanted to reside in the latter for better medical access.

Murgon Magistrates Court. Picture: File

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair acknowledged it was a timely plea due to several administrative barriers, and how the woman had a family responsibility with her two existing children, and two on the way.

"The most serious offence here is breaking into the golf club," he said.

"I accept you weren't the person breaking in, but you were on probation, and the oldest one there.

"You should've been the one to talk everyone out of it."

Mr Sinclair told the defendant breaking and entering is a serious problem in the region, with people receiving sentences for "many, many" years.

He went onto say this is the first occasion of that type of offence, with the remainder charges being dishonesty offences.

She pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to three months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months for breaking and entering.

For failing to appear she received one month imprisonment, suspended for three months, to be served concurrently.

For the breaches of bail she was convicted and not further punished.

The woman was then ordered to pay $200 in restitution back to the Murgon Golf Club to cover damages.

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