Playing the pokies lands Toowoomba woman in the pokey

She said she had a gambling problem and was at the pub playing pokies instead of being at home.

The woman was caught playing the pokies instead of being at home complying to curfew.

Gambling addiction led to a Toowoomba woman spending much of the Easter long weekend in the city’s watch house.

As part of her bail conditions, Nikeasha Lea Holland was not to be away from her Newtown home between 7pm and 7am each night, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

However, when police checked on her about 11pm, Saturday, she was not at home but was found playing the pokies at the Gowrie Road Hotel, police prosecutor Julia Wheaton told the court.

When processed at the watch house, the 24-year-old was found to have two credit cards which she said she’d found on James St and had intended handing into police the next day.

She pleaded guilty to possessing tainted property and breaching bail.

Duty solicitor Jag MacDonald told the court his client had a gambling problem and had lost track of time on Saturday.

She had spent the ensuing time in custody before appearing in court to enter early pleas to the charges, he said.

Acting Magistrate Leanne Scoines fined Holland a total $400 but ordered the conviction not be recorded.