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A distraught 72-year-old man has been left with a hefty bill after his methamphetamine addicted daughter went on a pre-Christmas shopping spree with his Farmlands card.
There were tears as Elizabeth Jane Geary’s father addressed the court as his 36-year-old daughter was sentenced on a raft of charges relating to offending across Canterbury, in the Timaru District Court on Thursday.
He begged the court to find out how his daughter could fraudulently clock up more than $46,000 on his finance card without it leaving his possession.
His daughter’s offending began in December 2021, when she used his Farmlands card 29 times, racking up $46,827 in charges.
She used the card to make purchases at branches of The Warehouse and Noel Leeming, from Timaru to Rangiora, between December 5 and 21.
Her father told the court the fraudulent transactions had been made without the card.
“The card never left my possession … I still want to know how it was done.”
He said the matter had caused a lot of undue stress and “my health has suffered immensely”.
“I’ve worked hard for what I’ve got … now Farmlands are trying to charge me $1000 interest a month.
“She hasn’t used the card because it has been in my possession. I’ve got a lawyers bill I need to pay and Farmlands want to put the debt collectors on me.
“I can’t go anywhere, I can’t do anything until it is sorted. It has gone on for over a year.”
Judge Campbell Savage indicated much of what the father was asking could not be answered in that court.
Other charges she was convicted of include:
2022: Theft $80 fuel Caltex King St, Timaru (February 18); unlawfully converts motor vehicle (February 16); shoplifts $5.18 herbs and spices Pak’nSave Timaru (August 24); shoplifts sunglasses $29.99 Roberts Pharmacy Timaru (October 7).
2023: Theft of groceries $143.92 New World Timaru (February 22); theft of groceries $129.17 New World Temuka (February 25); theft of groceries $393.91 New World Timaru (April 2); wilful trespass Pak’nSave Timaru (January 5); shoplifted items $88.50 from Look Sharp Timaru (August 13); shoplifted razor blades $25.49 Countdown Timaru North (August 14); assaults police in Timaru (August 18); shoplifts groceries $42.40 Countdown Timaru (August 18).
The defendant’s lawyer Tiffany McRae said until 2020 her client had been living a normal productive life.
“What we are seeing is the consequence of an introduction to methamphetamine.”
McRae said her client had been the target of someone out to exploit her and her situation.
“She has struggled to get back on track again since then.”
McRae said “stealing had become like an addiction” and submitted that home detention was the best way to address the issues.
Police prosecutor Dave Ellis said the pre-sentence report, made before her latest offending, had assessed her risk as low “but unfortunately that is not the case now” as there were numerous new charges, that although relatively minor, included violence.
“They all occurred while on bail for similar offending and end with violence towards police,” Ellis said.
Judge Savage said five years ago was where it all began for Geary when she was introduced to meth.
The judge’s original sentencing indication was 26 months “after credits” and he said at the time he was not prepared to artificially reduce the sentence to allow an electronically monitored sentence.
“Things have moved on from then.”
Judge Savage said offending while on bail covered both dishonesty and disorderly behaviour, and he added two months for that offending.
“More significantly you have obliterated any chance for credit for remorse as you have just gone and offended again.”
The judge said the pre-sentence report stated Geary would struggle to comply with a community-based sentence.
“It would be artificial of me to give credit for remorse that I don’t see in existence.
“This doesn’t allow the opportunity for an electronically monitored sentence and I acknowledge there will be a flow on effect from my decision, but accountability is required.
“You have been cut some slack several times but have turned it back on people that gave you the opportunity, so I can’t predate deductions.”
Judge Savage jailed Geary for a 28-month term on each of the charges carrying a maximum seven years’ imprisonment to be served concurrently, and convicted and discharged her on all other charges.
“Today is the day for accountability,” Judge Savage finished.
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