A former nurse who stole petrol from five service stations across the southeast told police she did not pay because she was a single mum.
Lauren Jade Taylor, 30, pleaded guilty at Pine Rivers Magistrates Court to five stealing charges.
The court heard Taylor had on five occasions been found driving into a service station a green Daewoo, filling the car up and driving away without paying.
Over a period of months Taylor stole $82.30 worth of fuel from BP Lawnton, $74.50 of fuel from 7/11 Springwood, $60.70 worth of fuel from Caltex Kallangur, $78.36 worth of fuel from Freedom Kallangur and $80.30 from 7/11 Kallangur.
The court heard when she spoke to police Taylor said she had received a message from one of the service stations telling her she needed to pay but she didn’t as was a single mum.
Taylor’s lawyer Penny McCreery told the court her client had contacted one of the 7/11 service stations offering to pay, but was told charges had already been laid against her.
The court heard Taylor had to make regular trips for Moreton Bay to the Gold Coast in order for her children to see their father as part of a court order.
Ms McCreery said Taylor worked as a registered nurse until she had children. She now raises them alone.
The court heard she recently ran a cleaning business but it “essentially collapsed” during the coronavirus pandemic. She was hoping the business would resume as pandemic restrictions eased.
Taylor was ordered to pay a $500 fine and pay $375.66 in restitution for the stolen fuel. A conviction was recorded.
Extracted from Courier Mail