The victim of a carjacking considered her alleged attacker a close friend, a Bendigo court has heard.
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Eighteen-year-old Ava Slowik applied for bail at the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Thursday, having been charged with offences including aggravated carjacking, theft and intentionally causing injury in relation to an incident that occurred early Christmas Eve.
Detective Senior Constable Regan Oxford, from the Bendigo Crime Investigation Unit, told the court Ms Slowik allegedly organised the crime.
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The court was told Ms Slowik allegedly invited the victim over under the guise of repaying a debt she owed, before committing the carjacking.
It was alleged the victim was dragged out of the car and left on a dirt road alone, in the middle of the night.
Detective Senior Constable Oxford said Ms Slowik made full admissions to the crime and told police she wanted to "teach [the victim] a lesson", although did not elaborate further.
The court also heard Ms Slowik told police that she was "Xanned out of her brain" at the time of the alleged offending.
Detective Senior Constable said the victim described Ms Slowik as a close friend.
Police opposed Ms Slowik's release on bail.
Detective Senior Constable Oxford said police believed that Ms Slowik would not adhere to bail conditions.
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He said there was drug use connected to the alleged offending and it showed serious escalation, Ms Slowik having had no prior convictions.
"She's behaved in this manner towards someone who described her as a close friend... There's every chance she could commit this against someone she doesn't know," Detective Senior Constable Oxford alleged.
He told the court the victim was "extremely concerned" about the prospect of Ms Slowik's release on bail.
Brett Bell, a youth worker from Anglicare Victoria, gave evidence to the court that he was supporting Ms Slowik under a program designed to help youth leaving out of home care transition to independent living.
He told the court he could take her to necessary appointments.
Defence lawyer Robert Timms told the court Ms Slowik had met the exceptional circumstances threshold necessary to secure bail by way of her lack of criminal history, her pregnancy, her young age and the support she had in the community.
The court heard Ms Slowik was engaged with services to address her drug use, as well as a GP, and lived in supported accommodation.
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Mr Timms said Ms Slowik's admissions and cooperation with negated any potential risk to the victim, as she would have no reason to try influence her.
Magistrate Rodney Higgins found there were exceptional circumstances to grant Ms Slowik bail and any risk could be mitigated.
He noted she had cooperated with police and admitted to her actions, but told her the charges were "really serious".
"It's a mystery to us at court why you'd do what you did to someone who considered you a close friend," Mr Higgins said.
He said Ms Slowik had to look after her health and that of her unborn child.
Ms Slowik was released on bail with conditions that included making no contact with witnesses for the prosecution, a nightly curfew, a ban on using illicit drugs, and complying with the directions of Anglicare Victoria, the Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO), and her GP.
"I can't stress enough that you must comply with your bail," Mr Higgins said.
Ms Slowik will return to court in March.
Her co-accused appeared at a Children's Court on Thursday.
Aggravated carjacking carries a mandatory minimum sentence of three years' imprisonment, unless special circumstances apply.
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