A Queensland woman wanted for a string of service station fuel drive-offs was found “slumped at the wheel” of her car after smoking meth.
Mikki Jane Howe, 39, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court to charges including fraud, stealing, drug driving, breaching bail and failing to appear in court.
The court heard the dishonesty offending involved Howe committing four fuel drive-off offences at service stations in the Burleigh Waters area between October last year and February this year.
The amounts of fuel not paid for were $15, $25.07, $60.03 and $50.12 – the prosecution sought restitution for those amounts.
The court heard Howe was busted drug driving with methamphetamine in her system at Burleigh Waters in March.
Police prosecutor Courtney Brown said police found Howe “slumped at the steering wheel” of her car in a tavern carpark.
Ms Brown said the car was running at the time.
“She (Howe) made admissions to smoking methamphetamine in the very early hours of that morning,” the prosecutor said.
“She stated she’d driven to the tavern an hour or so prior.”
Solicitor Rebecca Winning said Howe was a mother of three and at the time of the offending, she was homeless, “living rough” and using drugs.
“Ultimately… she self-admitted herself to (drug rehab),” Ms Winning said.
“Since coming out (of rehab) she’s been living with her mum in the Childers area and ultimately she wants to stay clean.”
Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale noted Howe did not have a significant criminal history and she placed her on six months’ probation.
Howe was also ordered to pay $150.22 restitution.
For the drug-driving offence, she was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.
Convictions were recorded.
Extracted in full from: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/rockhampton/police-courts/mikki-jane-howe-sentenced-for-string-of-fuel-driveoffs/news-story/3f65b5c89d9b3f94b38f434ca50deee2
