Dickinson’s new lawyer, Felicity Fox, called for her client to be fined or put on a community correction order, but magistrate Timothy Bourke said past failures to comply with court orders meant jail was the only option.
Mr Bourke said the courts relied on tendered material to be honest and accurate, and there was “nothing more horrific” for a lawyer than to discover their client had lodged something false. “The whole point of that document was to trick the court,” Mr Bourke said.
But in mitigation, the magistrate found much of Dickinson’s history of offending was connected to her mental health problems, which include borderline personality disorder. He urged her to get help once out of prison and to try mending some of the relationships she had broken.
“You are a fairly sad story … in respect to an otherwise intelligent young woman who shouldn’t have found herself anywhere near the criminal justice system in this manner,” Mr Bourke told Dickinson, who watched the online hearing from prison.
“But you have had significant diagnoses of mental health issues that are clearly relevant to this offending.”
Dickinson, who was also fined $1500 for illegally obtaining the mobile phone, hopes to again live with her mother and find work, though her lawyer conceded the criminal history was a barrier.
Ms Fox said Dickinson had cared for inmates’ babies in prison and had shown empathy and compassion. “She is someone who can work hard and apply herself,” the lawyer said.
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More jail for serial fraudster, over false reference submitted to court
Source: Philippines Alive
