A Narooma woman has avoided jail due to the magistrate’s concern about her ability to cope with imprisonment, instead receiving a suspended sentence in Narooma Local Court on Thursday, August 17, on five charges.
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Toni Lee Arena, 47, was sentenced to 12 months each for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, stalk/intimidate, contravening an AVO, high-range drink driving and driving while disqualified.
Magistrate Doug Dick questioned how Arena would cope mentally and physically with being in jail and said this was her last chance at avoiding imprisonment.
“There are a number of issues still lingering here,” Mr Dick said. “When courts look at sentencing they look at alternatives to imprisonment, but you are not suitable for community service. Jail is the last resort of the courts, but when people continue to offend then they end up in jail.”
Arena, who represented herself in court, said she was aware of her responsibilities, had a new job and was getting treatment.
Conditions on her suspended sentence included complying with the directions of community corrections, taking medication as medically directed and getting tested for alcohol and drugs.
“If you fail to comply, this will be the end of the road,” Magistrate Dick said.
“If you reoffend that will be the last step. You have the ability to move in the right direction and the future is in your hands.”
The high-range drink driving charge related to an incident in Narooma on June 23, 2016, when she struck a parked car on Tilba Street with such force that her car rolled onto its roof.