A woman charged with multiple offences, all the result of failing to pay for fuel and driving away while disqualified, has been fined a total of $5,060 and ordered to pay a further $166.08 in compensation to the service stations.
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Jasmine Louise Oakenfull of Atkinson Street, Mudgee, was also disqualified from driving for a further 12 months and sentenced to a 12-month Community Corrections Order.
According to the police facts submitted to the court for sentence, at 9.10am on September 4, 2020, the 34-year-old filled up her vehicle with $87.37 worth of petrol at Mudgee BP. When she attempted to pay, her bank-card was declined.
The staff member told her that it would be a criminal offence if she left without paying for the fuel. To which Oakenfull replied "I'll risk it for the biscuit" and drove away from the location.
The witness contacted police and officers recognised Oakenfull from the service station's CCTV footage. A police check of her licence also revealed that on January 22, 2020, in Mudgee Local Court she'd been disqualified from driving for a 12-month period.
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When officers questioned Oakenfull about the incident, she admitted to failing to pay for the petrol. However, she also said to police that she was unaware of the disqualification period and wasn't sure if she was in court that day.
According to the police facts submitted to the court for a separate incident, at 2.35pm on September 7, 2020, Oakenfull drove to Caltex Mudgee and filled up her vehicle with $78.71 worth of petrol and left without making any attempt to pay. The police were called and officers recognised Oakenfull from the service station's CCTV footage and a licence check confirmed she was disqualified from driving until January 2021.
According to the police facts submitted to the court for a separate incident, at 2.10pm on September 12, 2020, Oakenfull drove to Midtown Fuels Kandos and filled up her vehicle with petrol. When she attempted to pay, her bank-card was declined, Oakenfull then gave the staff member fake identity details and drove away from the location.
Police were called and officers recognised Oakenfull from the station's CCTV footage. Oaken eventually paid for the petrol, which lead to the initial complaint that brought her to police attention to be withdrawn.
However, the CCTV footage depicted her driving a vehicle. When questioned by officers, Oakenfull claimed that she didn't know she was disqualified.
The defendant didn't appear in Mudgee Local Court when the charges were listed on November 18, 2020. But the court heard that she had submitted a plea of 'guilty' and consented to the matters being finalised in her absence.
The offence falls under the charge dishonestly obtain property by deception. And upon reading Oakenfull's criminal history, Magistrate Day commented, "she has persistent dishonesty and driving while disqualified offences".
"The next time I see her, I'll know where she'll go," he continued.
