A judge has called the night of a break and enter at Anna Bay - during which a resident suffered a medical episode and later died - "devastating" for the woman's daughter, who also lived in the unit.
Catherine Ann Howard avoided jail when she was sentenced in Newcastle District Court on Friday over the incident last year.
An expert report prepared for the court by a psychiatrist found that the 48-year-old was experiencing an "anti-depressant-induced manic episode" in the lead-up to the break-in and in the weeks after she was charged.
The court heard that Howard broke into her neighbour's home just before midnight on September 23 2020 after yelling at the woman - a friend who had looked after Howard's children when she suffered a life-threatening burst stomach ulcer a few months earlier - from the grass outside.
Howard had given the neighbour two cannabis plants and was demanding that they be returned.
After attempted phone calls to the neighbour and a "garbled" text message, Howard broke into the unit.
When the then-37-year-old victim shut herself in a bedroom, Howard yelled: "Let me in. I'd lock the door too, bitch".
The victim phoned another friend who soon arrived and attempted to calm Howard, but in the meantime another resident - a 59-year-old woman - suffered a seizure in one of the bedrooms. She died after paramedics took her to hospital that night.
Howard was arrested and charged with aggravated break and enter with intent to steal. It is a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail.
Judge Roy Ellis was also asked on Friday to take into account a charge of intimidation when sentencing Howard.
She was given a two-year Community Corrections Order, which Judge Ellis said was in lieu of a full-time custodial sentence, and will have to complete 100 hours of community service.
"Clearly it seems to me this was a manic episode," Judge Ellis said.
"I accept you didn't know it at the time ... but it must also be clear to you it was a fairly devastating night for your friend."
