Vanessa Barlow, 25, of Palmerston, ACT pleaded guilty to stealing a vehicle, negligent driving, not giving particulars to police, not stopping in police pursuit, driving dangerously, and not giving the particulars of damaged property when she appeared in Goulburn Local Court via video-link on Wednesday.

Police facts tendered in court said: on November 1 in 2016 at 10.10pm, Barlow was driving a Toyota Hilux east along Crookwell Road about four kilometres west of Goulburn when she lost control and rolled the vehicle.

She got out and shortly after got into a flatbed truck and drove it into Goulburn.

A witness followed the truck and called the police, who began pursuing the truck through Goulburn.

The pursuit continued through Bradley, Faithfull, Goldsmith and Victoria streets into Howard Boulevarde before circling back through Gibson Street and Jacqua Avenue. 

The truck turned right into Howard Boulevarde, then McDermott Drive, then drove along Victoria and Kinghorne streets and into Hoskins and Williams streets before turning onto Prince Street.

At the Prince and Kinghorne streets intersection, the truck was driven through a stop sign and continued along Kinghorne Street back to McDermott Drive, turning left onto Middle Arm Road and finally into a dead end in Amaroo Place.

The truck smashed through a fence and drove up to the water reservoir.

At this point, the driver fled the scene and could not be found by police.

On December 6, police caught up with Barlow in Silverwater Jail where she was detained on other matters.

In interview, she made admissions to stealing the truck and the pursuit through Goulburn. She had taken the vehicles because the keys were left in the ignition, she said.

In court, Barlow’s solicitor said his client had been labouring with a major drug addiction for most of her adult life.

“She has been clean now for 46 days since being in custody,” he said. “Despite her constant drug use, she has held down various jobs. She is now at the crossroads.” 

Magistrate Geraldine Beattie said it had been a dangerous police pursuit. “It was through residential streets in Goulburn, with you driving a large truck,” Ms Beattie said.

“At one point you drove through a stop sign. It was very dangerous.

“You have an atrocious driving record in the ACT. You have no regard for road rules that apply to everyone to keep them safe.”

She sentenced Barlow to two years’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 15 months. 

A man has been given a three-year good behaviour bond for driving while more than four times over the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration.

Douglas Walker, 58, of Marulan appeared in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to a charge of high-range drink driving.

Police facts tendered in court said: on October 20 in 2016 about 8.50pm, they stopped a car driven by Walker on Grafton Street in Goulburn.

He returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.22. 

He told police he had begun drinking at 1pm that day, but did not know how many beers he had consumed.

In court, Walker’s solicitor said his client was going through a stressful time with his family, which Magistrate Geraldine Beattie accepted.

Walker had since completed a traffic offenders program. 

However, Ms Beattie said Walker’s actions were very dangerous and referenced his “ongoing indifference to road laws”.

She convicted Walker and placed him on a three-year, section nine good behaviour bond and disqualified him from driving for six months.

A Goulburn man will remain in custody until March after breaching an apprehended violence order (AVO) and destroying property.

Steven Jake King, 28, of Goulburn, pleaded guilty to breaching an apprehended violence order, mid-range drink-driving and damaging property when he appeared via a video-audio link in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday. 

He has been in custody since December 16. 

Police facts tendered in court said: on August 15 in 2016 about 10.20pm, King was drinking alcohol with a woman when he became verbally abusive and refused to leave the house.

The woman called triple zero and police arrived to find King in a state of disorientation.

King’s solicitor, Tim McGrath, said his client “clearly had a problem with alcohol,” but also acknowledged King had issues with intellectual functionality.

King had recorded a 0.11 blood alcohol reading on February 4 in 2015 when he was pulled over by police for excessive speeding in Bombala.

Five months later, he damaged property, hitting a pool stick on a bar, breaking a glass and causing a hole in a bedroom wall and door, and was arrested.

Magistrate Geraldine Beattie said if King wanted to be out in the community, he had to play by the rules.

“The real question is, do you want to stay in jail?” Ms Beattie said, to which King replied: “No.” 

“It’s pretty easy to say no when you’re wearing a prison uniform and appearing on TV,” Ms Beattie said.

“It’s harder to do when you get out.”

She sentenced King to a fixed term of three months in jail. 

“This is the last time you will get a sentence structured like that,” she said.

“If you keep offending, you will spend a long time in jail.”