Concerns custody on the cards pre-sentence for George Town woman

Christina Lorna-Maree Creely, 35, appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court on more than 20 charges - some dating back to 2022 - and changed several previous not guilty pleas to guilty.

These included several driving charges like unlicensed driving, driving an unregistered vehicle, falsely displaying registration plates, and drug driving.

Police prosecutor Brad Collins told the court Creely also stole fuel from a service station at Spreyton in 2022, and when she was arrested in 2023 on an outstanding warrant, police found the illegal drug GHB on her person.

He said Creely stole a package off the porch of a house at George Town in February 2023, and when confronted by its intended recipient said she "found it in a bush".

Mr Collins said Creely eventually handed the package over after being told she was recorded on CCTV.

The most recent offence, barring some bail breaches, was committed against Bunnings at Invermay in October 2023, when Creely and a male accomplice fraudulently claimed a refund for shelves they did not buy.

Mr Collins said the man, Creely's partner, loaded the shelving unit onto a trolley and took it to the gardening section.

There he pushed the box through a gap in the fence and out of the store, before leaving through the main doors.

He met Creely in the car park and the woman then took the shelving unit to the service counter where she asked for, and received, a refund totalling $339.43.

Defence counsel Hannah Goss said the past five years had been "quite difficult" for Creely, and asked magistrate Sharon Cure to consider a community correction order.

Ms Goss said Creely had turned to drugs, namely methamphetamine, to "numb the feelings" arising from an abusive and violent relationship - which in turn explained some of the offending.

Although Creely had found secure housing and had reduced her drug use, Ms Goss said the woman was yet to get completely clean.

This gave the magistrate pause, as did the fact Creely lived in George Town.

Mrs Cure said she was familiar with Creely's partner through his own interactions with the court, and based on that, she was concerned the conditions attached to a community correction order would be "too onerous".

The magistrate said the man had difficulty complying with his own court orders, as he claimed it was too expensive to travel to Launceston from George Town.

This meant Creely could face a stay in custody if she breached the community correction order in a similar way, but Mrs Cure said that could be inevitable.

"If she doesn't stop using drugs, she'll end up in custody anyway," she said.

"She's had a really rough life."

Mrs Cure adjourned the matter for sentencing until June 20, when an assessment of Creely's suitability for a community correction order would be ready.

"I hope she's able to be assisted," she said.

"But there's no point in having an order she's just going to breach."