Drug addiction motivates Taranaki meat theft and debit card fraud

Senalla Witehira stole $130 of bacon and spent nearly $900 on a debit card she stole from a social worker. Photo / 123rf

A woman who pinched $130 worth of bacon and racked up nearly $900 on a debit card stolen from a social worker did it to fund her drug addiction.

Senalla Witehira had been leading a chaotic existence, Judge Tony Greig said in New Plymouth District Court on Friday.

But it wasn't really her fault, he added.

A pre-sentence report penned by community probation informed the judge of her background and current situation, helping him to appreciate how she would come to be in court facing 17 dishonesty charges.

Witehira was introduced to drugs and stealing at a young age, her current housing situation was unstable and drugs continued to be an issue for her.

It was to her credit that she did not have a "huge, huge" list of convictions and that she wasn't facing sentence for something "much more serious", the judge said.

But perhaps Witehira's hardest struggle at present was her not being able to contact her children, which previously led to her breaching a safety order.

The judge sympathised with her on this matter.

"Being separated from your kids is the worst pain anyone can have."

Senalla Witehira appeared in New Plymouth District Court on Friday. Photo/Tara Shaskey

Witehira appeared in court via audio-visual link from Arohata Prison after Judge Greig previously remanded her into custody.

It was something he did not "enjoy" doing but felt it was the only way to create some stability for Witehira and get her help.

"It's a really blunt instrument remanding people in custody, I know that," he said at her latest appearance.

"I think I said to you that you were chaotic, I didn't really mean you were chaotic, I meant your life seemed chaotic."

In July last year, Witehira was caught stealing five packets of bacon, totalling $130, from a Taranaki supermarket.

Then in September, she found a debit card belonging to her family's social worker.

She pocketed it and went on to use it 16 times, spending a total of $892.82 on items such as food and cigarettes.

In explanation to the offending, she told police she sold the items she had purchased on the card to fund her methamphetamine addiction.

In its report, probation acknowledged Witehira had complex needs but the service was confident it could help her.

Witehira told the judge she was doing better, and smiled when he provided hope she may see her children again.

Judge Greig told her to make an application to the family court for contact and that he would manage the case.

"We will see what we can do to get you contact with your kids."

In the meantime, he sentenced Witehira to 18 months' intensive supervision, which he would judicially monitor.

The unique sentencing option allows the court to actively manage and monitor an offender's compliance with a sentence by providing the judge with regular reports.

"I wish you luck, I really do, and I look forward to getting good reports," he told her.