A Romanian national will be released from jail a year early after appeal for less time behind bars for a spree of thefts targeting mostly elderly women.

Vasile Bombonel, 38, appeared before Wollongong District Court to appeal 24 charges relating to a string of offences between March 3 and 23 in 2025 - starting just days after arriving in Australia.

He pleaded guilty to using a scheme involving another man at a number of coastal NSW towns, targeting women aged from 50 to 90.

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One of the pair would distract the woman while the other would steal their bank card or cash before running off, the court was told.

The court heard the spree earned them more than $26,500 before they were stopped by Australian Federal Police at an airport trying to leave Australia on April 8.

Bombonel was sentenced on May 26 to a minimum of two years and five months in prison for the spree, meaning he would be released in October, 2028.

One month after the sentence was handed down, he returned to court on Friday pleading to having his time reduced.

Speaking through a Romanian interpreter, Bombonel told the court he had a troubled childhood in his home country which included his alcoholic father forcing him to beg on street corners for money.

Bombonel and another man stole more than $26,000 from mostly elderly women during a 20-day spree across NSW in March. Credit: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

He broke down in tears telling the court his older sibling, partner, five children and cancer-ridden mother are dependent on him.

The Romanian explained he had travelled to Australia with hopes of getting a job to better himself and the lives of his family.

But he claimed the plan came undone when he lost his wallet, failed to find work and began thieving to make by.

Prosecutors questioned his line of reasoning, asking him if ever thought of his mother while robbing women older than her.

“Yes I did and I’m very, very sorry for everything that I’ve done,” he answered, claiming he was initially in a state of shock.

“I can’t say that I was in shock when I was doing the offences, but I really needed to find money and I wanted to help my mother with expenses for hospital and medicines.

“And I admit I’m guilty, I can’t say how sorry I am. I can’t put it into words.”

Bombonel was later pressed by Judge Imad Abdul-Karim on how he entered Australia, saying he had only been granted a visitor visa.

“You intended to work despite being on a visitor visa?” Abdul-Karim questioned.

“Yes,” Bombonel replied.

His defence noted they are not contesting details of his offending, but instead claiming the sentencing did not match the crime commited.

The court heard he had been sentenced to three months for each of his nine stealing offences, despite ranging in values from $5.60 to $6000.

They requested Bombonel not receive a reduced sentence solely for his hardship, but only so the sentences can better reflect his offending.

Abdul-Karim said he had “difficulty accepting his motive for committing these offences” and said he had most likely come to Australia to commit crimes and “enrich himself”.

“I’m of the view that when you committed each of those offences, you knew that what you were doing was morally wrong,” Abdul-Karim said.

He also noted that Bombonel’s testimony included that his mother’s treatment was not impacted by financial hardship, as both his partner and brother were working to take care of her.

However, the judge also acknowledged the defence’s argument and accepted the proposal, lowering his non-parole period to 18 months dated back to his arrest.

It means he could be released from prison as early as October 7, 2027.

“Thank you,” he joyfully repeated while weeping and making a sign of the cross on his chest.

Bombonel is still awaiting an extradition hearing to Queensland for a series of other alleged crimes.