Adelaide woman Jane Gibson jailed for attempted bank robberies
A woman who tried to rob two Adelaide banks and made a false bomb threat has been sentenced to seven years' jail.
Jane Alison Gibson, 52, pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery and three of attempted robbery.
The District Court heard she gave notes demanding money to tellers at a Bank SA branch at West Lakes and a National Australia Bank branch at Findon last October, but left empty-handed.
At Findon, her note referenced Al Qaeda and a bomb, but none existed.
The court was told Gibson later wrote to bank staff to apologise for her behaviour.
Gibson also tried to rob three service stations and got about $250 from one, which she used to gamble.
Judge Wayne Chivell said Gibson drank to "dangerous levels".
"You said that you were very drunk when you committed the [service station] offences, but police only noted that you were slightly affected by alcohol," he said.
He told Gibson the staff she threatened at various locations "were all traumatised by [your] behaviour and that cannot be tolerated".
Judge Chivell told Gibson her rehabilitation prospects were promising and the likelihood of reoffending low, but only if she stopped drinking alcohol.
"Obviously your ability to remain sober remains the issue," he said.
"I accept that your offending was relatively unplanned but not completely spontaneous.
"The fact that you reoffended while on bail calls for a custodial sentence."
Judge Chivell imposed a two-year non-parole term.
Outside court, Gibson's friend Pauline Lambert said the woman was truly sorry for her behaviour.
"She regrets every moment of it, she is sympathetic, she realises that they would have thought it was real and the terror they went through and she regrets it," she said.
Ms Lambert said she felt the sentence and low non-parole period were suitable and hoped her friend would get the treatment she needed in prison and emerge a better person.
"If they support her in the prisons... that's my hope, that the prisons do help her and if they help her she'll be fine. I'll be there to love her and support her," she said.
