A WOMAN falsely told police her sister burgled her Kyabram home in a "bungled" attempt to conceal the real offender, a court has heard.
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Angela Louise Emery, 36, appeared in the County Court on Wednesday where she pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
The court heard Emery's Kyabram home was burgled on January 30 this year, with CCTV footage showing offenders smashing windows and stealing a hard drive.
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Emery spoke to police at the scene, telling officers she suspected the brother of her former partner was the offender.
Police returned to Emery's home on February 2 and again spoke to the 36-year-old.
She changed her story, telling officers it was not the man she nominated on January 30.
Emery instead said it was her sister and her sister's partner who committed the burglary because she had reported them to the department for the way they treated their child.
The court heard Emery contacted her sister in a series of messages on February 11. She told her sister to tell detectives the false story and take the blame for the burglary.
The sister made a statement to police and the next day, officers arrived to arrest Emery. Her phone was seized and police saw the messages between Emery and her sister.
There were also messages from a man, who instructed Emery to tell police someone in her family committed the burglary. In return, he said he would pay for the damaged windows.
Emery was interviewed and made full admissions to the offending. She was on bail at the time for drug trafficking offences.
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The court heard on February 18, the man who Emery initially nominated as the offender was arrested for the burglary. He made full admissions in his police interview.
Defence counsel Karin Temperley told the court the man who sent Emery the messages about changing her story had a reputation for being threatening.
Ms Temperley said Emery did not receive any financial benefit from her crimes.
The defence counsel said Emery was addicted to methamphetamine and her drug use escalated as a result of abusive relationships and her children being removed from her care.
Ms Temperley said Emery was working to find treatment for her drug addiction, along with counselling for mental health issues.
Judge Michael Bourke said the "bungled" offending was unsophisticated and almost required a "saint-like sacrifice" from Emery's sister.
Judge Bourke said there needed to be a statement for how seriously the court considered such crimes.
The case was adjourned so Emery could undergo an assessment for a community corrections order.
She is due to return to the County Court later this week for sentencing.
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