Woman who stole handbag from nurse dying in crash avoids jail

A woman who stole a handbag from a nurse dying in a crash in Gosford has escaped a prison sentence.

Silvia Schreuder was slapped with a $700 fine and placed on a three-year good behaviour bond after she used Kay Shaylor’s cards to buy groceries, cigarettes and McDonalds within an hour of the 62-year-old nurse’s death.

Schreuder pleaded guilty to taking the handbag, with a co-accused, from the Pacific Highway crash scene at North Gosford on September 3.

Mrs Shaylor’s brother previously said he felt disgusted by the idea of Schreuder and her co-accused pretending to assist his sister while they robbed her.

“I was told the woman was looking after Kay, holding her hand and checking her pulse and telling her she'll be OK,” he told The Daily Telegraph. “It would kill me to think she knew she was being robbed.”

Ms Shaylor died in hospital following the crash.

'I'm still asking God for forgiveness': Purse thief
Couple used dying woman's card to buy cigarette, McDonalds

Schreuder had claimed she was high on drugs at the time of the alleged theft, and took to Facebook to pen a lengthy apology.

“God will not forgive me… and I will not forgive myself,” she wrote.

“To the family of Kay I know sorry will never be accepted. I’m sincerely regretful.”