A woman who stole thousands of dollars from her own grandparents two decades ago was due to finally face up to her crimes this week - but failed to appear at court.
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Jaime Maree Smith, 40, was scheduled to front Wollongong Local Court for sentencing on several charges of obtaining money by deception, as well as having stolen goods, giving false information to a pawnbroker and failing to appear on bail, some of which dated back to the year 2000.
The solicitor who was acting as her lawyer, Emel Ozer, told the court that Smith had warrants issued that year and in 2002, but she went to Queensland.
Smith eventually came back and pleaded guilty to the charges.
However, she was not present when her matter was first called on Tuesday.
Ms Ozer made attempts to contact her but after finding the phone number she had for her client had been disconnected, she made an application to withdraw from the case, which was granted.
Magistrate Claire Girotto issued a warrant for Smith.
Court documents revealed that in May 2000, Smith - who had just turned 18 and was living with her grandparents in Woonona - took a key card from her grandfather's wallet then went to Woonona Bulli RSL, where she withdrew $300 in separate amounts and spent it on the pokies.
That same night she went to a pub in Rockdale and took out another $500, again blowing it all on the pokies.
She spent another $20 of her grandparents' money at a Darlinghurst venue the following morning, before gambling away $270 at a Sydney bar.
She later went back to Woonona and returned the card, but her mother dobbed her in to police after she confessed to her misdeeds.
Smith told police she was in a bad relationship and had become addicted to playing the pokies after being introduced to gambling.
She said she intended to repay the money.
But in August that year - two days after her grandfather died and five days after her grandmother died - Smith went on a three-day drugs and gambling binge that ate up $4620 she had withdrawn in numerous transactions, using a card taken from her grandmother's wallet.
She was arrested the following month, again after her mother reported her to police.
Smith told police she was grieving the deaths of her grandparents, and felt she was not in control and did not care about consequences.
But she said she cut up her grandmother's card when she realised what she was doing was wrong.
She also told police she had developed a taste for drugs, especially amphetamines and marijuana.
Smith said she had won $500 on the pokies, but had lost that too.
In May 2001, Smith took a Panasonic VCR to Brad's Bargain Centre in Corrimal as a pledge for money, signing a docket stating that she was the owner, and received $60.
However, the VCR had been stolen five days earlier from a home.
Smith was arrested the following month and told police she had pawned the VCR on behalf of a friend who didn't have identification documents.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
