A CRIME spree sparked by a "major" drug habit has snowballed into a community prison term for a 31-year-old woman.
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Alicia Michelle Norman of Bannerman Crescent, Kelso was sentenced in Bathurst Local Court on August 7, 2023 after she previously pleaded guilty to:
- Driving while suspended x 4,
- Driving with illicit drugs in her blood x 3,
- Failing to stop as directed by police,
- Using a car with an unauthorised number plate,
- Using an unregistered car, and
- Having stolen goods.
Court documents state Norman was driving a white Volkswagen golf about 1pm during the rain on August 4, 2022 along Eglinton Road in Abercrombie when she crashed head-on with a Toyota Corolla.
Police arrived and spoke to Norman, who said she drove over a water puddle which caused her to veer onto the wrong side of the road.
Norman was then tested for drugs.
After she returned a positive reading for methamphetamine, she was arrested.
"I took speed three days ago," Norman said to police.
Unable to give a second sufficient sample at Bathurst Police Station, Norman was taken to hospital where she gave a blood sample.
The court heard forensics later confirmed the presence of the drug in Norman's blood.
As a result of the crash, the victim suffered whiplash, back pain and arm pain, while Norman went uninjured.
Both vehicles had major damage and were written-off.
On a separate occasion, police were patrolling Rankin Street in Eglinton about 10.45pm on November 19 when they saw a white Mitsubishi Triton travelling east.
The car was stopped in a driveway on Wellington Street before Norman, who was behind the wheel, got out of the driver's seat and walked up to the front door.
Police followed and asked her for her licence when she said "it's inside ... my friend's place".
Moments later elderly residents from the home went outside and told police they did not know Norman.
After she gave police her licence number, police found Norman had been suspended for demerit points from November 15, 2022 until February 14, 2023.
"You are suspended but it's for demerit points. Did you receive paperwork from the RMS about the suspension?" Police asked Norman.
"No, I saw 'suspended' on my digital licence," she replied.
Police then did a check on the vehicle, which showed the plates had expired on March 29, 2008.
Officers also checked the car's vehicle identification number, which showed the car's registration had expired on August 15, 2022.
After police found a small set of scales and resealable bags inside the car, Norman was drug tested and found to have meth in her system.
She was arrested and taken to Bathurst Police Station, where she gave a second positive test for the drug, which was later confirmed by forensic analysis.
On a separate occasion, Norman was driving a grey Hyundai Santa Fe about 1pm on December 29 along Alexander Street in Eglinton when she was spotted by police.
After recognising Norman and knowing her licence was suspended, police followed her onto Parer Road where she came to an abrupt stop in a driveway.
Police approached the driver's side door and spoke with a nervous Norman, who said she knew her licence was suspended.
With prior knowledge of Norman's drug use and charges, she was arrested for a search.
The court heard police found a licence in the name of another woman inside of Norman's handbag, which she claimed to have found outside of a pub in Bathurst on December 24.
But the licence had been reported stolen on September 3 in Nepean.
On a separate occasion, Norman stopped a white Toyota Hilux about 2pm on April 6, 2023 in a driveway on George Street in Bathurst after she was flagged down by police.
Norman was subject to an oral drug fluid test, which came back positive for meth.
She was arrested and taken to Bathurst Police Station, where she gave a second positive test for the drug.
Her sample was later confirmed by forensic analysis.
Court documents show Norman was also found to be driving while suspended in Oberon on December 2, 2022 and June 11, 2023 in Kelso.
She also drove a silver Ford Ranger about 10am on March 31, 2023 in Kelso with the wrong NSW registration plates.
Sentencing
Norman sat behind her solicitor as her mother watched on from the court's gallery as Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis said it was obvious she had a "major drug problem".
Legal Aid solicitor Keith Kuan spoke to Norman's addiction, saying it began at the age of 14 before it escalated in her 20s and again in 2022.
"Last year she was falsely charged with matters that caused her a considerable amount of stress and ... it's not surprising her drug use escalated as a result," Mr Kuan said.
Ms Ellis said it was her view that Norman "enjoys" the drug lifestyle as it could offer an excuse for her behaviour.
The court heard Norman hoped to complete residential rehabilitation, but was unable to without finding care for her animals.
Norman had also participated in the Magistrates Early Referral into Treatment (MERIT) program but was "deemed to not be engaging" after she missed an appointment.
"We tried through MERIT to get you off the drugs, but you didn't take that with the vigour I would have liked," Ms Ellis said.
"You've got to the point where I say that you will be serving jail ... and it will have the condition with no drugs or alcohol, which I think is going to trip you up quite quickly."
Norman was placed on an intensive correction order for 12 months with the condition she has no drugs or alcohol.
She must also do 100 hours of unpaid community service work and pay $4604 in fines.
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