Woman jailed over chocolate bars theft and robbing stranger of $35

A 36-year-old mother who stole chocolate bars from Woolworths then walked into a woman’s house and robbed her of $35 taxi money will spend at least six months behind bars.

A Tasmanian woman who stole $9.60 worth of chocolate bars before walking into a stranger’s home and stealing $35 from her will spend at least six months in jail.

A WOMAN will spend at least six months in prison after stealing $9.60 worth of chocolate bars from Woolworths before fronting a stranger’s home and demanding $10 “before someone gets hurt”.

Mother-of-five Kristy Louise Ackroyd, 36, has been in custody since the September 2019 incident, during which she left through the victim’s back door, jumped the fence and threatened that she would be back if the woman called police.

The Supreme Court in Launceston heard on Monday that Ackroyd stole the chocolate bars from the George Town Woolworths, before walking to a petrol station and making “a pest of yourself”, then fronting the woman at her front door while the victim’s children were in the front yard.

“You walked past them, opened the front door, and locked it behind you,” Justice Robert Pearce said during sentencing. “You confronted [the woman] just inside the door and irrationally stated that she owed you money. You demanded $10 and told her to hurry up before someone gets hurt.”

The woman took $10 from her wallet, but Ackroyd demanded more and took another $25.

Ackroyd, who Justice Pearce described as having had a “terrible upbringing” marked by being abandoned by her parents, teen pregnancy, drug use, homelessness and an abusive relationship, was arrested shortly afterwards.

Justice Pearce said Ackroyd’s criminal history consisted mainly of driving offences, but in 2014 and 2015 she committed multiple bail, drug and dishonesty offences and she went to Victoria before her matters were dealt with.

In February last year, she was given a six-month sentence with four months suspended but she breached the suspension by committing shoplifting offences in June and July last year.

Justice Pearce said Ackroyd caused the woman to fear for the safety of herself and her children.

Ackroyd, who pleaded guilty to stealing, aggravated burglary and robbery, was sentenced to a 10-month jail term, with a non-parole period of six months. She must also repay Woolworths $9.60 and the $25 she stole from the woman.