A 21-YEAR-OLD woman committed three armed robberies because she was too proud to go to Centrelink for support, the Supreme Court in Launceston was told yesterday.
Cassandra Lee Yost, of Edward St, East Launceston, pleaded guilty to stealing $1450 at knifepoint in three separate armed robberies late last year.
She was apprehended after a relative identified her from video surveillance publicised by Tasmania Police.
Defence counsel Frances McCracken said Yost had been a good student who completed Year 12 with top marks.
She said she had been constantly employed since leaving school but lost her job last August.
Yost had planned to live off her savings but was unable to get a job.
An addiction to alcohol caused her to accumulate a debt of $3500 from associates.
"She was misguidedly too proud to apply to Centrelink for support," Ms McCracken said.
She said Yost was physically threatened by associates about the debt and could see no way out of her situation and began keeping a knife and a wig in her handbag.
She said Yost had vomited after each of the robberies.
Crown prosecutor Alan Hensley said Yost had used a kitchen knife to rob a store at Ravenswood on November 17, stealing $350.
On December 1, she stole $110 cash and two bottles of wine.
On December 11, she stole $1000 from an IGA store.
Chief Justice Ewan Crawford ordered a pre-sentence report and remanded her in custody for sentence on April 15 at 4pm.