CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - Sarah Catherine MacDonald, 29, received 135 days of house arrest after she pleaded guilty to failing to attend court, failing to comply with an undertaking and stealing money from Murphy’s Queen Street Pharmacy.
MacDonald appeared before Judge John Douglas in provincial court in Charlottetown Jan. 24 for plea and sentencing.
On May 27, MacDonald went to Murphy’s Queen Street Pharmacy and asked an employee to use the telephone.
The court heard MacDonald was on the phone for a long time and kept watching the employee.
The employee went to put away an empty cart and when she returned, she had a bad feeling, so she opened her cash drawer, but everything looked neat.
After a while, MacDonald left the store.
The employee never thought anything more about it until two days later. Her supervisor asked if anything happened during her last shift because her tray was short $120.
The employee then remembered her interaction with MacDonald.
They looked at the video surveillance and it showed MacDonald opening the cash register and taking the money out while the employee was away from the register.
MacDonald failed to appear in court Nov. 30 and failed to comply with an undertaking Dec. 7. She was arrested Jan. 14.
She has a 17-page record accumulated over the past four years.
“It’s an unrelenting pattern of criminal behaviour,” said Crown attorney Valerie Moore.
The court heard that MacDonald has addiction issues and has been trying to stay sober.
She completed the transition program over the summer and reports being free of drugs from June to November.
She tested positive for drugs Dec. 8 but tested clean on Jan. 15.
In sentencing, MacDonald was credited for 15 days served.
She was given an additional 135 days of house arrest and 12 months probation. She also must pay $300 to the victims of crime fund and $120 restitution and is to refrain from attending Murphy’s Queen Street Pharmacy.
