Kim Waters
AN UNLICENSED Norlane woman who started a car with a fork before driving around Corio blamed neighbours for stealing the vehicle, Geelong Magistrates Court heard this week.
Debbie Brown, 28, of Sparks Road, avoided a jail sentence after pleading guilty to theft and driving while disqualified.
The court heard she had previous convictions for the same offences.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Kerrie Moroney told the court Brown claimed she found a stolen Toyota parked in her driveway on October 18.
Two days later police caught her driving the vehicle around Corio after she “took a fork from her kitchen” to start the car.
Snr Const Moroney said Brown was “aware” the vehicle was stolen but denied responsibility.
She blamed her actions on her own “stupidity”, Snr Const Moroney said.
Brown’s laywer, Mr Kenny said she believed a neighbour had stolen the car and parked it in her home’s driveway.
She had declined to name her suspected car thief “in fear of what would happen” if she gave a “full and frank confession”.
Mr Kenny said Brown was broke and planned to drive the car to borrow money from a friend.
The self-confessed alcoholic and mother-of-five had a past “raging heroin addiction” but hoped to get her life back on track, Mr Kenny said.
Magistrate Ron Saines gave Brown a two-month suspended sentence.
“It doesn’t matter whether a person actually steals a car or drives a motor vehicle someone else has stolen,” he said.
“What I’m doing is making it clear that you have an opportunity to have time with your children…an opportunity to deal with any lingering drug issues and any lingering alcohol problems.
“There has been some leniency applied because of your plea of guilty.”
Mr Saines warned Brown any further charges of theft or driving while disqualified would result in “immediate imprisonment”.
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