Maree Mavis Crabtree, a Gold Coast woman previously cleared of murdering her two adult children, Jonathan and Erin Crabtree, has been convicted on fraud charges. She will not serve additional time beyond what she has already served for these offenses. The court found that between 2017 and her arrest in 2018, Crabtree received $12,000 in government payments fraudulently by claiming to have another daughter who was no longer in her care. Additionally, from 2010 to 2015, she obtained $140,000 through false claims to a New South Wales support service. Crabtree pleaded guilty to three charges including one count of fraud and two counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception from the commonwealth.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In 2018, Maree Mavis Crabtree was arrested and charged with the murders of her two adult children, Jonathan Crabtree (aged 26) who died in 2017 and Erin Crabtree (aged 18) who died in 2012. She was also accused of fraud related to their life insurance claims. In a Supreme Court trial earlier this year, she was acquitted of her son's murder and associated fraud charges. A month later, prosecutors dropped the remaining murder charge for her daughter but other fraud allegations persisted.
Recently, Crabtree pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court to several "sustained dishonesty" offences including social security fraud. Her lawyer, Amelia Anderson, argued that Crabtree had spent six years in pre-sentence custody and was dealing with grief over her children's deaths during this period.
Despite these circumstances, Crabtree faces no additional time behind bars since she has already served enough time to cover the new sentence for the fraud conviction.
Written for “Murder Trial Acquittal Fraud Conviction” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
In short:
A woman previously cleared of murdering two of her adult children has been convicted on a fraud offence.
asserted
woman → clear → offence
With time served, she will not spend any further time in custody.
asserted
she → serve → custody
The judge told the court Crabtree was involved in "sustained dishonesty" offences including social security fraud.
asserted
Crabtree → tell → fraud
A Gold Coast woman previously cleared of murdering two of her adult children will not spend any further time in custody for "sustained dishonesty" offences including social security fraud.
asserted
woman → clear → fraud
Maree Mavis Crabtree was arrested in 2018 and charged over the deaths of Jonathan Crabtree in 2017 and Erin Crabtree in 2012.
asserted
Crabtree → arrest → 2012
She was also charged with several fraud offences, some of which were related to claims on their life insurance.
uncertain
some → charge → insurance
It had been alleged at the time she gave each child, who were aged 18 and 26, fatal drinks laced with prescription pain medication.
asserted
who → allege → medication
Crabtee, who always denied involvement in the deaths, was acquitted of her son's murder and associated fraud charges after a Supreme Court trial earlier this year.
asserted
who → deny → trial
A month later prosecutors dropped the remaining murder charge and several fraud offences relating to her daughter.
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prosecutors → drop → daughter
On Tuesday she pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court to three outstanding charges, including one count of fraud and two counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception from the commonwealth.
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she → plead → commonwealth
The court heard between 2017 and just before her arrest, she fraudulently received $12,000 in government payments for another daughter who was no longer in her care.
asserted
who → hear → care
Between 2010 and 2015, she also fraudulently received $140,000 from a New South Wales support service, the court heard.
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court → receive → service
Crown prosecutor Zachary Kaplan told the court, in relation to the fraud offence, she repeatedly lied to the organisation and told them she was still living in Muswellbrook when she had moved to Queensland.
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she → tell → Queensland
"[Crabtree] was reimbursing things to fund her lifestyle," she said.
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she → reimburse → lifestyle
The court heard Crabtree had a limited and dated criminal history, but it was relevant offending.
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it → hear → history
In 1999, the court heard she was sentenced for making false representations to Sutherland police, about crimes being committed against her which had been fabricated.
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which → hear → her
She was also sentenced in 2010 for stealing cattle in Muswellbrook.
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She → sentence → Muswellbrook
Her lawyer Amelia Anderson told the court her client had spent six years in pre-sentence custody which was "quite an onerous" period for her.
"She has had to deal with being charged with the murder of her other two children and grieve their loss while she's been in custody," she said.
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she → tell → custody
Judge David Kent told the court her offending was serious and involved "sustained dishonesty".
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offending → tell → dishonesty
He said Crabtree had "kept up this facade" in order to receive benefits she knew she was not entitled to.
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she → say → benefits
"You took steps to maintain the false address provided."
Crabtree was sentenced to one month each for the commonwealth charges, to be served concurrently, and ordered to repay the $12,000.
For the fraud, she was convicted but not further punished.
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she → take → fraud
With time already served taken into consideration, Crabtree was free to leave court.
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Crabtree → serve → court
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