August 04, 2011

'Real pest' no longer in the community

By Anne Clarkson at the Rangiora Court House

Shelly Anne Wilson, described as a real pest in the community, has gone to jail.

The 29-year-old woman who was said to have caused a lot of unhappiness to people was sent to jail for 18 months at a Christchurch District Court sentencing session at the Rangiora Court House.

She was being re-sentenced for an assault, five thefts, two trespasses, one resisting arrest and one obtaining by deception charge because she did not abide by her intensive supervision sentence, and did not do her community work.

While on bail for these charges, among other things, she assaulted a police officer, stole groceries, and committed another obtaining by deception offence.

Defence counsel Glenn Henderson said Wilson had a very bad drinking problem, and wanted help with it. She did not want home detention, but wanted to go to prison and get everything out of the way.

Judge Stephen Erber said it was very difficult to imagine the woman standing before him committing all the offences.

He said she would walk into friends? homes, eat their food, then assault them when they thought she had gone too far.

He said: ?Viewed collectively, you were a real pest in the community, and caused a lot of unhappiness to a number of people.?

Wilson suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and had an overwhelming drink problem, he said.

Her probation report said she had an extensive history of offending, that she was remorseful but unable to control her behaviour, and could not comply with community-based sentences. It assessed her at a high risk of reoffending if she did not get help with her alcohol problem.

Judge Erber said she went on a binge when her partner died and the offending continued from there. He sentenced her to 18 months? prison for the repetitive and deliberate nature of the offending while on bail.

He also ordered a special release condition that she undertake assessment for her alcohol use, and do any treatment or programme recommended by her probation officer.