A HABITUAL Warrnambool thief who stole a women’s handbag while wearing a mother-of-the-bride badge at a hen’s night has been warned she risks going to jail for further offending.
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Tracey Maxfield, 52, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to theft.
She was convicted and fined $900 but warned by a magistrate another fine may not be appropriate in future.
Police said that at 11pm on January 18 the victim and other women were dancing at the Seanchai Irish Pub and placed her cardigan and handbag on a shelf behind her.
At 1am the victim noticed the handbag was missing.
Seanchai staff went through security camera footage and identified Maxwell removing the items.
The women were at a hen’s night and Maxwell was wearing a distinctive mother-of-the-bride badge.
Security camera footage showed Maxwell go the pub’s toilets at 12.53am with the items and leave empty-handed five minutes later.
Attempts by the victim to resolve the matter were unsuccessful.
Maxfield told police she had been asked by someone to grab the handbag. She followed that woman to the toilets and slid the bag under a cubicle door.
Security camera footage did not back her version of events.
Defence counsel Matt Senia said his client had made significant improvements to her lifestyle and it was unfortunate that the theft was not resolved with August offending.
He said Maxwell was now being backed by support services.
The solicitor said that on the hen’s night Maxfield had money, but had felt a compulsion to take the items.
Mr Senia said that at the time Maxfield had felt depression and was deeply ashamed of her actions.
Magistrate John Lesser said because of her poor record Maxfield had received a suspended jail sentence in 2005, which she breached and had to serve.
