Qld: Woman steals boyfriend's cash and hits him with hammer

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2006
Qld: Woman steals boyfriend's cash and hits him with hammer

By Johanna Leggatt

BRISBANE, April 12 AAP - A woman who stole thousands of dollars from her seriously-ill
boyfriend then attacked him with a hammer after he asked for the money back, has been
jailed for eight years.

Gold Coast woman Jeanette Anne Cameron, 46, pleaded guilty in the Queensland Supreme
Court to three counts of fraud and one count of grievous bodily harm with intent.

Supreme Court Justice Margaret White today sentenced Cameron to eight years jail.

The court was told that on April 12, 2004, Cameron's partner, Brian Edwards Spencer,
suffered a stroke and entrusted Cameron with $3,500 cash to mind from his concreting business.

Instead of banking it, as she promised Mr Spencer she would do, Cameron kept the money
for herself.

Furthermore, the court was told, friends of Mr Spencer gave Cameron $2,200 that they
owed Mr Spencer, but instead of banking it, she kept the money.

When Mr Spencer was released from hospital he went to live with Cameron, who nursed
him back to health while assuring him his money wasn't too far away.

During this time, Mr Spencer was giving Cameron rent money for their Gold Coast property,
but Cameron wasn't banking it and eventually the pair was served an eviction notice.

On November 26, 2004, the day Mr Spencer was due to pick up his "deposited" money from
the bank, Cameron approached Mr Spencer from behind while he was having breakfast and
smashed him in the head with a hammer.

She hit him at least twice, possibly three times, the court was told.

Mr Spencer managed to wrest the hammer from her, but not before he had suffered a
fractured skull.

"This was a despicable attack on a helpless man," said Justice White.

The court was also told Mr Spencer was not the only person from whom Cameron stole.

In May and June of 2002 she stole a credit card from a previous tenant of the house
she was renting and ran up debts totalling $3,846 on items of clothing, luxury goods and
sporting equipment.

Outside the court, Mr Spencer said he felt bitter towards Cameron and would seek financial
compensation.

"I have a hole in my head because of her and I need a metal plate inserted inside it," he said.

"My business has completely folded and I'm now on the disability support pension."

AAP jtl/ch/it/nf

KEYWORD: CAMERON (PIX AVAILABLE)

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