The offender, a 39-year-old woman with no criminal record and an alcohol addiction, pleaded guilty to breaching a release order by consuming alcohol.
She had spent six days in pre-sentence custody.
The Crown and defence proposed a joint submission of one additional day in custody, driven entirely by the practical necessity of securing police transport for the offender to retrieve her belongings from a remote detention centre.
The court rejected the joint submission as contrary to the public interest, finding that imposing a criminal record for an addiction-related breach under these circumstances was disproportionate.
The court granted an absolute discharge, highlighting the systemic failures and practical hardships caused by the closure of local jails and reliance on remote detention facilities.
