CQ woman Jelisa Bridgeman faces court for latest offending

An expectant Central Queensland mother with a “very bad (criminal) record” has faced court for her latest offending after police released photos of her as part of their investigations.

Jelisa Elizabeth Bridgeman.

A Central Queensland woman with a “long history” of dishonesty crimes has faced court for her latest offending.

Jelisa Elizabeth Bridgeman, 30, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on January 12 to attempting to dishonestly use a bank card belonging to someone else.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Ongheen said on September 29, CCTV footage showed Bridgeman attending the Puma Yeppoon service station on Park Street.

Sgt Ongheen said Bridgeman was seen attempting to purchase via “PayPass”, two bottles of two-litre milk, an iced coffee drink, and a 20-pack of cigarettes, using the male victim’s bank card.

The card was declined and Bridgeman made no other attempt to make the purchase.

She left the store with the victim’s card.

Sgt Ongheen said after police viewed the CCTV footage, photos of Bridgeman were “distributed throughout the Rockhampton district” and she was identified.

Police subsequently charged her.

Sgt Ongheen said Bridgeman had “a long history of offences involving dishonesty.”

The prosecutor said most recently, Bridgeman was sentenced in Rockhampton Magistrates Court in June 2020 for “a series of offences” including shoplifting and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

“She has stealing in her history,” Sgt Ongheen said.

Sgt Ongheen said while Bridgeman’s latest offending was “low-level offending” it came on the back of her “very bad record.”

The prosecution sought a “lengthy” period of probation and the recording of a conviction.

A self-represented Bridgeman told Magistrate Grace Kahlert that she was currently unemployed, pregnant and looking for work.

Bridgeman said someone gave her the card and she tried to use it.

Ms Kahlert noted that Bridgeman had a nine-page criminal history which included drug offending, before fining her $300.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as CQ woman Jelisa Bridgeman faces court for latest offending