An Alexandra Hills mum has been sentenced to one month behind bars after admitting to stealing alcohol from the same Raby Bay bottle shop on three occasions over six weeks.
Stephanie Mathers, 37, faced Cleveland Magistrates Court via video link from the Cleveland watchhouse on 23 September, where she entered guilty pleas to three counts of stealing after a previous conviction. All offences occurred at First Choice Liquor Market at Raby Bay, located behind Cleveland’s Sands Hotel.
The court heard details of Mathers’ offending, which began on 5 August when she concealed a bottle of whisky valued at $99 in her handbag and left the store without paying. She returned to the same shop on 5 September, this time taking a bottle of Wild Turkey worth $29 and four bottles of wine valued at $20. Her third visit on 19 September saw her conceal alcohol worth $41 before only paying for a four-pack of cans at the register. Each incident was recorded on the store’s CCTV system.
Prosecutors requested restitution of $159 to the store and indicated that imprisonment was an appropriate penalty, noting that Mathers had been under an 18-month probation order with mixed compliance. The court was told she had stopped using methamphetamine several months prior but had subsequently developed issues with alcohol. She was also experiencing housing difficulties and had recently gone through a relationship breakdown.
Despite being on probation almost continuously since 2019, Mathers had declined a referral to a women’s programme and had only attended one psychologist appointment.
Her defence lawyer requested that any custodial sentence be wholly suspended to enable her to continue rehabilitation efforts.
However, Magistrate Deborah Vasta said Mathers’ history demonstrated a failure to take advantage of opportunities for change.
“You’ve pretty much been on probation full time… it’s a shame that you have not taken up the referral to various organisations,” Magistrate Vasta said.
“You treated the bottle shops as your own pantry, just going and helping yourself. It’s not a crime to drink alcohol, but it is a crime to steal it. So if you want to drink alcohol, you’re going to have to go get yourself a job like everybody else and pay for it.”
Mathers received three months’ imprisonment on each count, to be served concurrently, with eligibility for parole release on 22 October. She was also ordered to pay $159 in restitution to First Choice Liquor.
Published 24-September-2025
