Shanae O’Donnell, 31, now of Epping, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to 47 charges, including dangerous driving while pursued by police, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, two counts of failing to stop on police direction, exceeding the speed limit by 45km/h or more and six counts of theft.
She also pleaded guilty to other charges, including seven counts of driving without a licence, four counts of fraudulently using registration plates and two of driving without number plates, five counts of committing an indictable offence while on bail and three of contravening a bail condition.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Luke Lund told the court O’Donnell drove off on police in Florence St, Shepparton, after police had activated their lights and sirens to pull her over on December 6 last year.
Police estimated O’Donnell drove at 120km/h in a 60km/h zone, and they deactivated their lights because of the speed she was driving.
Five minutes later, police spotted her car on Benalla Rd, and they again turned on lights and sirens after she turned into Callister St before calling off the chase due to dangerous speeds.
In February, she also got in a chase with police after they tried to pull her over in Benalla Rd, Shepparton.
The court was told O’Donnell drove off at an estimated 120km/h in a 50km/h zone after police activated their lights and sirens in Mitchell St.
With two children and a man in the car with her, O’Donnell led police through several streets, including weaving around other traffic in Old Dookie Rd.
Sen Constable Lund said when interviewed by police, O’Donnell told them she did not stop because she had drugs in her system.
On July 11, she was followed by police as she ran a red light on St George’s Rd and drove on the wrong side of the road through a roundabout at Hayes St before police called off the chase.
Six days later, she ran a red light on the corner of Wyndham and High Sts and drove away fast on police.
The court heard O’Donnell did a series of petrol drive-offs from service stations in Shepparton, Mooroopna, Echuca and Melbourne.
These included stealing $333 worth of diesel from one Shepparton business with three drive-offs in five days in December last year.
The court also heard O’Donnell and a co-accused stole $973.45 worth of clothing from Myer in Preston on July 25 last year.
She told police at the time she sold the items to help pay for hotels.
The court heard O’Donnell was also stopped several times driving vehicles that either had false, stolen or no number plates attached, and was also caught driving without a licence seven separate times.
O’Donnell’s solicitor Shana McDonald told the court the mother-of-seven ended a relationship in 2022 and was in a “state of disrepair” for 18 months, including being homeless at times.
She said O’Donnell started using methamphetamines during this time.
However, Ms McDonald said O’Donnell had been living with her mother in Melbourne since July, and her offending had ceased.
She had also been clean of any substances for 28 days before her court appearance, Ms McDonald said.
The solicitor also said O’Donnell had a limited criminal history and was last before the court in 2016.
Magistrate Victoria Campbell sentenced O’Donnell to an 18-month community corrections order, which includes 160 hours of community work.
Up to 80 hours of participation in programs to reduce offending behaviour can be credited towards the community work hours.
O’Donnell was also fined $2000 on the driving matters, and her driver’s licence was cancelled for 12 months.
She was also ordered to pay restitution to two service stations and to Myer.
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