Tegan Wanklyn, 17, was charged last month with fraud after police in the Queensland coastal town of Hervey Bay found her selling tickets purportedly to raise money for victims of the December 26 tsunami.

Police testified that Wanklyn told them she needed the money for rent and had no intention of sending the funds to tsunami victimns. She raised only 8.50 dollars (6.50 US) with her ploy. She pleaded guilty in court Thursday.

Magistrate Graeme Tatnell said he would have put Wanklyn in jail if it was not for her age and previously clean record. He instead put her on 18 months probation and ordered her to perform 60 hours community service.

More than 284,500 people were killed and millions more affected when a December 26 earthquake off Indonesia unleashed tsunamis that swept coastal areas of nations around the Indian Ocean.