Michelle Wootton pleads guilty to fraud charges

A former chef has spent a considerable time in custody after police foiled her ongoing credit card fraud.

Michelle Louise Wootton after she was released from the watch-house last week. Picture: Sam Turner

A Caloundra woman has done hard time behind bars for conducting credit card fraud to fuel her lifestyle.

Michelle Louise Wootton left the Maroochydore watch-house this week following more than three months in prison on remand after police claimed she racked up 20 charges from October 24 last year up until her arrest on February 19.

Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard the extent of her fraudulent crimes last week following her pleas of guilty to all offences including six counts of fraud, two counts of obtaining or dealing with another entity identification for the purpose of committing an indictable offence, receiving tainted property, breaching bail and one count each of possessing equipment for purpose of committing the commission of an offence, possessing drugs and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Police prosecutor Mardi Nowitzki revealed Wootton used a stolen credit card on a spending spree which involved buying accommodation, phone credit, food and even another person’s card details from a website.

Wootton after her release from custody. Picture: Sam Turner

Acting Senior Sergeant Nowitzki said police found three notebooks in Wootton’s possession which held various credit card details of multiple people.

She told police she bought the details online and used it to buy goods for herself.

Acting Senior Sergeant Nowitzki said the Caloundra woman was also intercepted by police while driving a stolen rental vehicle. The court heard she used the car for a month.

During a search of the vehicle, officers found glass pipes, scales, a small amount of meth, the prescription drug lyrica, along with two driver’s licences of other people.

These people were spoken to by police who confirmed their details were used to try to open numerous bank accounts.

Police found more financial documents of another person, and a large quantity of stamps and “collector notes”.

She pleaded guilty to all charges. Picture: Sam Turner

Wootton spent 98 days in custody until her sentencing hearing in court on Wednesday last week.

Acting Senior Sergeant Nowitzki said Wootton had been convicted of five failure to appears along with other offences of breaching bail and receiving tainted property on her criminal history.

Defence solicitor Matthew Cooper, of Chelsea Emery and Associates, said the Hobart-born woman had already served the bottom half of a proposed nine month jail sentence, and believed she should be released on parole following her court appearance.

Mr Cooper said Wootton worked in a range of fields during her life, including as a qualified chef and process technician, after growing up in Brisbane.

The lawyer said the Caloundra woman claimed her time in custody was a “blessing in disguise”, who hoped to live with her partner following her release from jail.

Magistrate Rod Madsen jailed Wootton for nine months but released her on parole immediately, taking into account the time she served.

Originally published as Michelle Wootton pleads guilty to fraud charges