![Woman avoids prison over rural property break and enter Woman avoids prison over rural property break and enter](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/3AijacentBN9GedHCvcASxG/b837b40e-02c9-42c9-84d5-ff7e2638885b.jpg/r0_132_1920_1421_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A Goulburn woman charged with breaking into a rural property with intent to steal has avoided prison.
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Melisa Fay Beetham, 45, was instead sentenced to an intensive correction order and a community corrections order when she appeared in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday. July 19.
She pleaded guilty to one charge each of aggravated break and enter in company with intent to steal property less than or equal to $60,000; possess prohibited drug and; driver not disclose identity of driver/passenger as required.
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The court heard that Beetham and a male co-accused had broken into a Crookwell district rural property on Sunday, January 8, 2023. Magistrate Geraldine Beattie said they cut a padlock on a shed and used a jemmy to open a firearms safe. A power drill, welder, angle grinder, rifles, ammunition, bolt cutter and motorcycle were among the items stolen.
Magistrate Beattie said Beetham later gave police various versions when asked about the motorbike's presence at her home. Officers had also found a small amount of MDMA on her during a search. Magistrate Beattie said when police had asked Beetham who was in the car with her on the day of the break and entry, she would not tell them.
"The aggravated break and entry is the most serious charge and carries a maximum 14 years' imprisonment, with good reason," the magistrate said.
"You targeted the property, jemmied open a safe and took (items)."
Beetham's solicitor, Matt Adam, said his client had lived with mental health issues from a young age.
"She has had significant issues with alcohol and then other drugs...," he said.
"She has taken the opportunity to do fulltime rehabilitation at The Glen (on the Central Coast), which is a rigorous program. She is on track to get her life back on track and understands that some connections in Goulburn are not good for her."
Mr Adam said Beetham had previously worked for Mission Australia as a case worker and at CentreLink. She had also been employed in the hospitality sector. In addition, she had started a social work diploma and organised appointments to secure a mental health diagnosis.
Mr Adam said Beetham had spent a short amount of time in custody and had undertaken three months' drug and alcohol rehabilitation. He asked that the matter be dealt with by way of an order, ensuring Beetham could remain in the community and seek the help she needed.
Police prosecutor Gabrielle Coombs said she accepted the rehabilitation steps Beetham had taken since committing "a very serious offence".
"The concern is if she has contact with her (the co-accused) again. The prosecution seeks a non-association order," she said.
Magistrate Beattie said she accepted Beetham's "early guilty pleas" and acknowledged that she had taken "serious steps to address her drug addiction".
She also referred to a "favourable report" from The Glen on Beetham's participation in the program.
The magistrate said while the aggravated break and enter had "well and truly crossed the threshold" of criminality, she was satisfied that the community would be safeguarded if a sentence was served in the community.
Magistrate Beattie imposed a 12-month intensive corrections order for the aggravated break and enter in company charge. Conditions include that Beetham not commit further offence, report and take direction from the Community Corrections Officer, engage in alcohol and mental health treatment as directed and not communicate with her co-accused.
Beetham was convicted but not fined for the drug possession charge. Magistrate Beattie imposed a nine-month community corrections order for not disclosing the identity of a driver/passenger as required by police.
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