Emily Sargeant, 36, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Friday where she pleaded guilty to three charges including theft.

Sargeant was convicted in January for stealing charity tins in Bendigo and Castlemaine.

Her lawyer Robert Timms told the court some of the charges Sargeant was pleading guilty to should have been dealt with at that time.

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The court heard on October 23 last year, Sargeant was captured on CCTV footage at a Castlemaine supermarket.

She was at one of the unattended cash registers, rifling through her handbag for about eight minutes.

Sargeant took items out of the bag, including a piece of black clothing which she placed over a charity tin.

The court heard she eventually put the items back into her handbag, including the donation tin for a Motor Neurone Disease foundation.

Sargeant tried to purchase a packet of cigarettes, but her bank card was declined so she left the store with the charity donation tin.

The court heard supermarket staff later realised the tin was missing. They believed it was about 75 per cent full with about $300 inside.

Police identified and arrested Sargeant on October 30. She admitted to stealing the tin but said there was only $34.80 inside.

The court heard then on March 6 this year, Sargeant was captured on CCTV at a Castlemaine cafe.

She placed a black cardigan over a Bendigo Foodshare donation tin and when the staff weren't looking, she placed the cardigan and tin inside her handbag.

Read more: Woman pleads guilty to theft of charity collection tins in Bendigo, Castlemaine

There was an unknown amount of money in the donation tin.

Sargeant was arrested on Thursday afternoon in Castlemaine. She told police she stole the tin because she needed the money.

Defence lawyer Robert Timms told the court some of the charges Sargeant was pleading guilty to should have been dealt with in January.

Mr Timms said Sargeant needed to travel to Castlemaine to receive methadone treatments for a drug problem.

The defence lawyer told the court Sargeant had a history of offending when her mental health declined.

Mr Timms said his client had started counselling and other treatments, so it would be a "backwards step" if she was imprisoned.

He said Sargeant should instead be ordered to continue with a community corrections order.

But Magistrate Patrick Southey told the court the offending was "disgraceful and despicable" and the community expected him to denounce the behaviour.

Mr Southey said Sargeant had previously been given good behaviour bonds, correction orders, and short terms of imprisonment but none of the sentences had stopped her from re-offending.

Sargeant was convicted and jailed for two months, with one day of pre-sentence detention reckoned as already served.

If she did not plead guilty, Sargeant would have received a three-month jail term.

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