Woman fronts Bendigo court for dangerous pursuit, property damage

The Bendigo Magistrates' Court heard the 19-year-old woman was part of a large family that was well known to police and the court but that she did not want to follow in those footsteps.

The woman, who was supported in court by her "foster nan", will also lose her licence for two years and has been fined $500.

The court heard the woman had driven a vehicle on a local road in February 2023 without displaying registration plates and when police activated emergency lights she sped up, swerving and narrowly avoiding a collision.

A police pursuit followed during which she was speeding in a 100km/h zone at an alleged speed of 162km/h although she told police she thought she had been travelling even faster.

The woman was on her learner's permit at the time and had also failed to display appropriate L plates. The vehicle was impounded.

She also failed to give police information about the driver of the vehicle on two other dates.

The court heard, in a second matter in March 2023, the woman had been at home with her mother and her boyfriend when she intervened in an argument which occurred while she was setting the table.

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The accused woman then verbally abused her mother, stabbed and slashed a plasterboard wall with a kitchen knife she had in her hand.

She proceeded to slash at a painting hanging on the wall and removing a table cloth from a table, smashing a glass vase and other items on the table in the process.

She then grabbed a lampshade and caused damage to the ceiling before continuing verbal abuse.

She was arrested and made full admissions.

The woman's lawyer told the court at the time of the incident her boyfriend and mother were not getting along and the mother had become angry when she heard the man was not going to eat a prepared meal.

The court was also told the accused woman had previously fallen pregnant to her boyfriend and she had felt her mother had strongly encouraged termination of the pregnancy.

She said she had "felt pressured" to do so and a termination took place in December 2022.

The court heard she had unresolved emotions from that decision.

In the driving matter, she said someone else had removed the L plates but was concerned about retribution if she identified who did that.

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She also told the court she had an "instinctive reaction to the police sirens".

She readily conceded her actions in both matters were "completely inappropriate" and was "clearly remorseful".

The court heard the woman's relationship with her mother was difficult and that as a child the young woman and her siblings had tried to call police to prevent their father committing domestic violence against their mother.

Despite these actions attempting to help the mother, she became upset with her children.

When the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing became involved with the family, the court was told the parents became "annoyed" with their children when they formed trust with workers.

The young woman has no prior criminal history.

She must complete a road trauma awareness seminar and engage with services to address anger management issues.

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