An Adelaide cleaner who says she was trying to leave an abusive partner when she stole more than $90,000 worth of jewellery from clients' homes could be sentenced to home detention.
Lana Jayne Pontt, of Tea Tree Gully, stole more than $91,000 worth of jewellery from seven homes she was cleaning between 2017 and 2019.
The 44-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to multiple counts of dishonestly taking property without consent, including two aggravated counts.
In the District Court of South Australia, Judge Paul Cuthbertson said he was "still open" to sentencing Pontt to home detention given she was experiencing family difficulties at the time of the offending.
The court previously heard her partner of two decades was "very controlling and dominating" and allowed Pontt "no control of financial issues".
The defence said she stole the money to "break away from the relationship at the insistence of her children", at a time when she was also dealing with the death of her father and a son with a drug addiction.
"She had the disaster of her father's death as well and a child who had some severe issues of his own that she was trying to parent as well and the offending occurs in that context," lawyer Justin Wickens said.
He said Pontt had no prior convictions, was remorseful and was still working as a cleaner with the same company, but not in people's homes.
'Gross breach of trust', prosecution says
However, the prosecution urged the court to jail Pontt due to the seriousness of the crimes, and the fact they constituted a gross breach of trust.
The court had previously heard many of the items stolen were family heirlooms with significant sentimental value to the victims.
One victim had more than $64,000 worth of jewellery stolen.
Judge Cuthbertson noted imprisoning Pontt would also hinder her capacity to pay any court-mandated compensation to victims.
"If Ms Pontt's in custody she's not likely to have any lump sum money to affect restitution," he said.
The court heard several pawn dealers who had jewellery sold to them by Pontt, and then subsequently seized by police, were also seeking compensation.
Pontt will be sentenced in March.
