A MOTHER accused of racking up more than $7000 on her former lover’s credit card has launched a sentence appeal amid claims she is under threat and in protective custody.
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Natasha Darcy-Crossman appeared via video link in Armidale District Court on Monday to appeal the length of her sentence.
She was convicted of 12 counts of credit card fraud in June and sentenced to a year’s jail with a non-parole period of six months.
The Walcha mother’s defence counsel Peter O’Connor argued the imprisonment term should be reduced because Darcy-Crossman had only used one credit card to commit the offences.
“You think it is severe if someone gets a concurrent sentence for 12 counts of dishonestly obtaining goods by deception?” Judge Stephen Hanley said.
“That’s a fairly strong sentence for that amount of money,” Mr O’Conner replied.
The court heard how Darcy-Crossman had not offended until she was in her 30s and had previously suffered from anxiety and depression.
“[She goes through the] prime offending part of her life with no trouble … then there is this whole spate of offences,” Mr O’Connor said.
Evidence was also presented that since being imprisoned, the 40-year-old had been placed in protection because of threats and injury from other inmates.
One incident included being “threatened with a syringe by a cellmate”.
“She has had problems in jail and is now in protection,” Mr O’Connor said.
In June Armidale Local Court had also heard evidence from defence solicitor Clive Sharkey that Darcy-Crossman was “stabbed in head and hand” by other inmates.
Darcy-Crossman’s current partner Matthew Dunbar also testified he and her former husband Colin Crossman faced considerable hardship in caring for her three children.
“They are struggling without their mum,” Mr Dunbar said.
The hearing will continue on Friday.
