A Bellambi woman who attempted to douse a police officer with petrol has been sentenced to an eight month intensive corrections order.
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Tracy Lee Dale, 43, pled guilty to charges of assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, intimidating a police officer, being in possession of unlawfully obtained goods, shoplifting and larceny, in Wollongong Local Court on Friday, July 22.
Dale was also charged with driving while influenced by illicit drugs and dishonestly obtaining financial advantage and two counts of shoplifting items worth less than $2000.
On 4 February 2021, police patrolling Shellharbour Road, Windang spotted a white Hyundai Excel with altered number plates.
Police turned on their lights and sirens and the vehicle pulled into the Sunset Petroleum service station on Windang Road.
Asked why her number plate was altered with a texta, Dale told police she "didn't know".
Police saw several boxes of new, unopened items in the rear of the vehicle, when asked about these Dale told police she was homeless and the items were hers.
Searching through the items, police found numerous products from Kmart, as well as a bank card, pensioner card and Medicare card not in the name of Dale.
While changing her story several times, according to documents tendered to the court, Dale said the items were her or given to her by her grandmother some time ago, including a printer that had a shipping date marked on it of January 25, 2021.
Dale denied going to Stockland Shellharbour, despite having a receipt from the Coles supermarket in the shopping centre from that day.
As police went through the items Dale had a cigarette and continued to abuse and swear at police, including calling them dogs.
Dale attempted to struggle with police to get the items back in her possession, before she walked around her vehicle towards the petrol bowser, lifted the unleaded petrol pump off the bowser and pointed it towards one of the police officers.
Dale caused fuel to spurt towards the police officer and told police she would set the car alight.
Knowing Dale had a cigarette lighter on her, police took Dale to the ground and a struggle began between them, with police officers having to dodge getting covered in petrol.
After Dale was brought under control she was taken to Lake Illawarra police station and found to have a clear bag of methamphetamines in her bra weighing 0.30 grams.
Dale was also found to have shoplifted at numerous supermarkets in Fairy Meadow, some in the same day, including one where she stole two 30 pack boxes of Ferrero Rocher chocolates by putting them in her bag from Fairy Meadow Woolworths hours after she was caught shoplifting at Fairy Meadow Coles.
On April 29, 2021, police saw Dale in the front passenger seat of a white Toyota Corolla on Kendall Street in Tarrawanna.
Police approached Dale who told them they had no right to stop her.
Documents tendered to the court indicate police viewed her demeanour as erratic and Dale appeared glassy eyed, leading police to suspect she was high.
Inside the car police found a handbag belonging to Dale which included bank cars, a letter from a bank and a driver's licence not in her name. When asked why she had these, Dale told police officers she was looking after the items.
"I kept them so no one else would use them because I've been the victim of fraud before," she said.
Dale was then arrested.
In Wollongong Local Court, defence lawyer for Dale highlighted her offending occurred in a three month period where she was addicted to methamphetamine after being evicted from her home.
Magistrate Claire Girotto acknowledged that Dale had not been in trouble since that period and that she had a limited criminal history prior to that period.
Sentencing Dale to an eight month intensive corrections order, Magistrate Girotto encouraged Dale to continue the progress she had made since 2021.
"Good luck," she said.
Magistrate Girotto also sentenced Dale to a two year community corrections order, and disqualified her driver's licence for three months. Dale will also have to complete 100 hours of community service and pay a $100 fine for the altered number plate.
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