Shoplifting, damaging and joy-riding outcomes of meth addiction for woman sentenced to jail

Briscoes was just one of the stores targeted by Amanda Jayne Stampa last year. Photo / Lewis Gardner

A string of shoplifting offences, wilfully damaging property, failing to return a hired motor vehicle and failing to show up in court has landed a Whanganui woman in jail.

Amanda Jayne Stampa was sentenced to five months imprisonment and ordered to pay reparation by Judge Dugald Matheson in Whanganui District Court on Tuesday.

"The report I had, identified a history over the last four years that suggests methamphetamine addiction," Judge Matheson told the court.

"The offending is the result of feeding that addiction."

On September 21 2017, Stampa stole four driveway alert alarms from a Mitre 10 store and the very next day stole products valued at $205 from Pet Essentials Wanganui.

"In October, she went to Pegasus Rentals in Whanganui and hired a vehicle for a single day, she paid for the day, drove away and did not return the vehicle," Judge Matheson said.

"Four days after the vehicle was meant to be returned, police located the vehicle and the defendant."

On October 28, Stampa continued her shoplifting offending and stole a duvet set valued at $280 from Briscoes.

"In relation to the wilful damage, she was asked to leave a residential address in New Plymouth," Judge Matheson said.

"She returned and ripped the lid off the occupants' mailbox and attempted to pull the mailbox from its post."

Judge Matheson said that Stampa had tied the court's hands.

"She has blatantly refused to engage in a process that could have achieved her a non-custodial result," he said.

"Given her lack of performance in community work in the past, I really have no option but to sentence her to a short term of imprisonment."

The five-month jail sentence included six weeks for Stampa's unpaid fines, which were in excess of $10,000 and wiped by Judge Matheson in favour of the term. It also took into account Stampa's guilty pleas on all charges.

He also ordered Stampa to pay reparation of $200 for Mitre 10, $205 for Wanganui Veterinary Services, $175 for petrol and vehicle retrieval costs from Pegasus Rentals and $99.98 for the mailbox.