Woman jailed for evading police, dining and dashing, fraud and more

Karli Breeze Davison, 40, appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court on June 19, 2024 to learn her fate after a string of prior appearances - and no shows.

She also pleaded guilty to one outstanding matter - the theft of a $38 bottle of Malibu liqueur - committed on April 19, 2024.

At a prior court appearance, Davison said she thought her offences "require a sentence of imprisonment".

These included evading police, failing to undergo a breath test and failing to comply with a licence condition, namely that she drive a vehicle with an alcohol interlock device, in May 2023.

Davison also committed a string of fraud, theft and shoplifting offences across the state, including making off without payment after dining at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Launceston.

The fraud included using a Hobart woman's bank card, stored on Apple Pay, to purchase a variety of goods after Davison stole $15000 from her in December 2023.

Davison also stole a wedding ring from a house at Invermay during a break-in.

She failed to appear in court numerous times, which added to her rap sheet.

Davison, previously known as Newitt, was subject to a five-month suspended jail sentence handed down by Justice Robert Pearce in 2022 at the time of the police evasion.

Defence counsel Lucy Flanagan told magistrate Simon Brown activating the suspended sentence would be unjust.

Ms Flanagan said Davison had recently engaged with the Salvation Army of her own accord in an attempt at rehabilitation, something reflected in a pre-sentence report.

The magistrate took a different view, nothing commonalities between Davison's prior and current offences.

"The leitmotif here is alcohol and drugs," Mr Brown said.

He said Davison's criminal record "only really started" in the past five years, but the woman "took off with a really hard start".

Davison had two offences warranting suspended sentences since 2020 - the first was wholly suspended, the second in 2022 was partially suspended.

The most recent sentence was awarded after what Justice Pearce described as a "drug induced frenzy" where she caused nearly $63,000 in damage to a Devonport childcare centre.

The magistrate acknowledged Davison's attempts at reform but said the pre-sentence report indicated alcohol and drugs remained an issue in the woman's life, particularly as she attended her appointment showing clear signs of alcohol withdrawal.

There was also her prior record of engagement, or lack thereof, with community corrections.

"I am not really sure if it can properly be said rehabilitation has started," Mr Brown said.

"If rehabilitation has started, only the tiniest steps have belatedly been taken."

Mr Brown said he counted 18 separate breaches of the suspended sentence over an 11-month period, and as such activated it.

He sentenced Davison to a further month in prison and disqualified her from holding a driver's licence for nine months after her release.

Mr Brown issued a separate six-month disqualification for Davison's failure to provide a breath sample, and an additional month in prison - to be served concurrently - on the balance of the offences.

This brought the total jail time to six months, and the licence disqualification to 15 months.