A WOMAN who stole thousands from a Pinjarra bakery was lucky to escape a serious sentence in Mandurah Magistrates Court on Friday.
Kathy Lee Courcha faced punishment for 38 stealing as a servant charges after pleading guilty in August.
The court heard Courcha was employed on March 16, 2016 at Miami Bakehouse and was responsible for the day-to-day running of the business, which included counting the tills.
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READ NOWWhile counting the till, Courcha would put notes into a calico bag and hide it on a shelf.
She would hide the bag on her person and sneak it out of the bakery.
The stealing incidents took place every few days from December 7 last year to February 17 this year.
Counsel for the accused said Courcha was in the grips of a methamphetamine addiction at the time.
She had been using for six to seven years and was supporting her unemployed husband’s habit as well.
Courcha has since moved to Donnybrook to escape negative influence and has continued to work in retail.
Of the $4500 stolen, Courcha has paid back about $2000.
Magistrate Anne Longden said the theft had a real impact on Miami Bakehouse.
“The circumstance of your offending arose through your use of methamphetamine,” she said.
“Your use of that drug led to you doing things you would never have dreamt of.”
Magistrate Longden said that most people would think this type of offending should lead to a term of imprisonment.
But because Courcha had made an effort to pay the money back, she placed her on a 12 month intensive supervision order, with program requirement.
Courcha was also ordered to complete 80 hours community work, repay $2500 to Miami Bakehouse and pay $100 in costs.
Courcha was reminded to remain offence free while on the order or face resentencing.
The 38 stealing offences included:
December 7 – $250 December 7 – $195. December 9 – $255 December 22 – $40 December 23 – $115 December 24 – $210 December 27 – $35 December 28 – $140 December 29 – $235 December 30 – $85 December 31 – $115 January 2 – $165 January 3 – $30 January 4 – $85 January 6 – $205 January 7 – $95 January 9 – $230 January 11 – $70 January 10 – $150 January 14 – $180 January 17 – $35 January 18 – $20 January 21 – $20 January 24 – $35 January 20 – $120 January 26 – $90 January 27 – $70 January 30 – $155 January 31 – $75 February 1 – $75 February 3 – $140 February 5 – $100 February 8 -$85 February 9 – $155 February 10 – $160 February 11 – $115 February 11 – $180 February 15 – $25
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