A young Winnipeg woman known as "laughing girl" for joking about a fatal stolen car crash she was involved in was allowed home for Christmas after cutting off and damaging her electronic monitoring bracelet so she could attend a downtown fashion show.

The 18-year-old -- originally sentenced to two years probation for possession of goods obtained by crime in connection with the crash that killed 55-year-old taxi driver Antonio Lanzellotti in March 2008 -- has been in and out of custody repeatedly for multiple breaches of her strict sentence conditions.

In a videotaped police interview following the crash, the then 16-year-old girl told officers Lanzellotti "had to die sometime anyway."

She was one of five passengers in a stolen sport utility vehicle that struck Lanzellotti's cab at the intersection of Maryland Street and Portage Avenue.

The charges for the most recent breaches, to which the woman pleaded guilty in court Thursday, included cutting off and damaging her electronic monitoring bracelet Nov. 7 so she could attend a fashion show at a Pony Corral restaurant.

Judge Marva Smith cited the young woman's stated desire for a career in fashion modelling or design as mitigating circumstances in not handing her more than the 47 days of time she already served at the Portage Correctional Centre. Her charges also included failure to abstain from drugs and alcohol.

Court heard the young woman has now racked up a dozen charges for breaches since she was first released on bail in April 2008, including cutting off her GPS-tracking ankle bracelet twice and attempting to do so on one other occasion. She has also violated conditions by breaking curfew and associating with a friend who is a Level 4 offender in the Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy.

The teen was also ordered by Smith to undergo a psychological assessment. Court heard the woman's most recent breaches came just days after a possible suicide attempt.

The woman's probation order was also changed so she will no longer have to wear the ankle bracelet. The other conditions of her sentence remain in place.

'Nightmare'

Crown attorney Liz Pats said dealing with the young woman's probation has been an "odyssey" and a "nightmare" and said she would have preferred to see more jail time for the breach.

Pats said she is frustrated with the failure of the electronic monitoring in this case but said the device could be better used elsewhere.

"A bracelet at this point is of no use because she's simply going to cut it and run," Pats said. "There are a lot of kids out there who could use this bracelet in a good way. She's a waste. There's nothing left for her but jail. That's all she has waiting for her if she screws up."

The young woman's lawyer, Crystal Antila, said her client has hit "rock bottom" and has expressed a desire to resume her education and seek rehabilitation counselling.

jason.halstead@sunmedia.ca