The woman at the centre of a sexting saga involving former Test cricket captain Tim Paine has been the subject of "extremely stressful" media attention, her lawyer has told a court.
Former Cricket Tasmania employee Renee Ferguson, 48, appeared in Hobart Magistrates Court on Thursday over allegations she stole thousands of dollars, plus several memberships, while working for the sporting organisation.
She has previously pleaded not guilty to 63 counts of stealing and two counts of dishonestly acquiring a financial advantage.
Ferguson worked as a receptionist for Cricket Tasmania from 2015-17.
Prosecutor Jayson Taws alleged Ferguson received cash in her role in but then signed a daily taking sheet indicating the cash had not been received.
Mr Taws told the court Ferguson had on one occasion been captured on CCTV sliding cash under a computer stand and taking it to a back room later in the day.
She is alleged to have taken out Cricket Tasmania and Hobart Hurricanes memberships without paying for them.
Her lawyer, Greg Barns SC, told the court there were flaws in the prosecution's case and there were "inferences drawn" by an expected witness.
Mr Taws said Ferguson was confronted about discrepancies in Cricket Tasmania accounts on November 30, 2017.
She was recorded on CCTV adding receipts together and returned after lunch claiming to have located the cash, returning it in $50 denominations, he said.
In an unrelated Federal Court matter, Ferguson is seeking financial compensation over alleged sexual harassment in the form of text messages she claims she received from Paine and other Cricket Tasmania staffers.
Mr Barns told the court Ferguson was struggling with motivation and living with depression and anxiety.
"She has become a high-profile person in the content of the Australia media for some period now," Mr Barns said.
"She's not a person who is used to the media. A lot of the media has been extremely stressful."
Ferguson will next appear in Hobart Magistrates Court on April 7, when Magistrate Michael Daly will deliver a sentence indication.
A hearing had previously been slated for late May.
Mr Daly ordered Ferguson be assessed for a home detention order, in the case it is required as part of a potential sentence.
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
