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Soap Star Faces Jail - Updates


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From The Sydney Morning Herald

October 11, 2005

Pat the Rat escapes jail

By Kate McClymont

rowenawallace2_wideweb__430x235.jpg

Rowena Wallace arrives at court to face sentencing

Gold Logie winner Rowena Wallace sobbed in court today after escaping a jail sentence for multiple counts of social security fraud.

Wallace, 58 - who faced up to 20 years behind bars - was given a six-month suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to more than 20 counts of receiving $30,090.99 in social security payments she was not entitled to between July 1999 to November 2003.

Wallace, best known for her portrayal of soapie superbitch Patricia Hamilton - known as Pat the Rat - in the long-running TV series Sons and Daughters, did not speak outside the Downing Centre Criminal Court.

She won the Gold Logie in 1985 for that role but has been battling depression and ill-health for years.

Despite her predicament, she appeared on TV earlier this year in a Channel Nine reality TV program, Body Work.

Outside court she was hugged by a supporter, Excellcia Starr from Seven Hills, who was accompanied by a labrador guide dog called Jasmine.

Wallace's lawyer, Gregory Goold, successfully argued for leniency due to her celebrity status.

Mr Goold told the court: "Because of the nature of the work she does as an actor, her chastisement is going to be public, it's going to be national and it's going to be demeaning, and I ask you to take that into account.''

The actor committed the fraud because she had ongoing medical issues including depression and scoliosis, Mr Goold said.

Wallace was a Gold Logie winner, a five-time silver Logie winner, and a "consummate performer'' respected because of her past, he said.

The prosecuting solicitor, Jayne Sullivan, had asked the court to send Wallace to jail because she had only stopped taking the payments after a public tip-off.

"A bond is not approproate because of the length and conduct and amount of money involved.''

Magistrate Ros Quinn told Wallace she would "go to jail'' if she breached a good behaviour bond.

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