By Rodney Stevens
A woman who has been a drug addict for half of her life was jailed for six months at Lismore on Monday over offences including taking a syringe into a jail.
Gabriella Basimauro appeared at Lismore Local court via video-link from Kempsey jail and was represented by her solicitor Ms McDermott.
The 28 year-old from East Lismore woman pleaded guilty to more than 10 charges including three counts of driving while never having held a licence, resisting arrest, possessing a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited substance, taking a syringe into Kempsey jail and breaching an apprehended violence order.
Ms Basimauro pleaded guilty to all charges.
Magistrate Michael Dakin said the charges resulted in Mr Basimauro breaching eight good behaviour bonds, which he took into account when sentencing her.
Ms McDermott said her client, who was raised by her grandmother after her mother died when she was young, started drinking alcohol aged 13, and by 14 she was regularly smoking cannabis.
‘Virtually all her offending is related to her drug use,’ she said.
‘She has expressed the desire to do something about her drug use.’
Ms McDermott requested Mr Dakin adjourn Ms Basimauro’s matters so she could attend drug rehabilitation.
In refusing the adjournment, Mr Dakin referred to a letter from the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment MERIT program that stated Ms Basimauro arrived intoxicated to an assessment on October 26, and failed to attend to subsequent appointments.
Court documents revealed Ms Basimauro’s extensive juvenile and adult criminal history.
Ms McDermott requested Mr Dakin impose a shorter custodial sentence on her client, with a longer parole period, so she could address her drug problems while under the supervision of Probation and Parole.
In sentencing Ms Basimauro to six months jail, Mr Dakin acknowledged ‘she had come from a background of severe disadvantage.’
As she has been in custody since December 31, Ms Basimauro will be eligible for release on June 30
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