Despite her home being 'ravaged', the victim hopes the burglar can lead a 'normal life'

Despite a burglary turning an immigrant’s world “upside-down”, she still wants to see the woman who invaded her home improve herself.

Court documents show the victim’s home in Franklin was burgled around 9 July 2019 while she was overseas.

When police arrived, they found drawers and cupboards had been pulled open in rooms, doors were opened, the mailbox was broken into, and many items, including jewellery, were missing.

“The garage door had sustained significant damage consistent with a vehicle driving through the closed garage door from inside,” the documents say.

The victim’s Mitsubishi ASX was also missing, although that, and the damage to the garage, has not been attributed to the woman who eventually pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary over the incident, the now 33-year-old Kylie Ann Carpenter.

Police found her fingerprints in the home.

She was already on a suspended sentence of imprisonment for an aggravated burglary relating to a separate incident when she entered the woman’s home.

On Wednesday (3 November), a statement written by the victim was read to the ACT Supreme Court, where she said she was shocked to learn someone had entered her home to “ravage it completely”.

“I would never have thought my life would be turned upside down,” she said.

“You might think it was just a burglary, but for me, it was a whole lot more.”

She had come to Australia a couple of years beforehand and enjoyed living in Franklin, but said due to the burglary, her house didn’t feel like home anymore and that her “safe space was gone”, so she moved to a new home.

“Thanks to you, I am always on watch, I am always anxious,” the woman wrote to Carpenter.

“I really hope you will find some time to figure out what you need for a normal life.”

She agreed to participate in restorative justice with Carpenter before she was sentenced, which is a program that allows for a victim to discuss the harm done to them with the offender.

“I do this for Kylie. So I just want to say to Ms Carpenter, this is an opportunity for her to actually think about what she needs to stay on the right track,” the victim said.

“I could choose to say no to this, but I choose to say yes.”

Carpenter was seen wiping her eyes after the woman spoke, later telling her “thanks”.

Barrister Travis Jackson, appearing on behalf of Tu’ulakitau McGuire for Carpenter, said the mother-of-six had come to court supported by her partner.

Justice Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson adjourned the case to 3 February 2022 with bail to continue.