A 34-year-old Collie woman has been fined $3000 and ordered to pay compensation of more than $200 after pleading guilty to stealing and fraud charges.
Margie Marie Ugle pleaded guilty in the Collie Magistrates Court on November 22 to one charge of stealing and two charges of gaining benefit by fraud.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Greg Ward told the court Ugle was at the Collie Hospital to get her child immunised when she stole a mobile phone, which had money and a credit card stored with it, that had been left unattended by another parent on the morning of October 10.
Ugle then used the card to purchase prepaid gift cards from two businesses, costing more than $160, later that day.
Sergeant Ward said police had identified Ugle from CCTV footage at the hospital, however she had initially denied being involved when spoken to by police.
Ugle’s lawyer told the court that Ugle had conceded the incident was an example of ‘poor decision-making’.
Taking into account Ugle’s previous stealing convictions, Magistrate Evan Shackleton imposed $500 fines for each of the fraud charges and a $2000 fine for the stealing offence.
Ugle was also ordered to pay $209.95 in compensation to the victim for the money stolen.
