A WOMAN was high on drugs when she drove into bushland to evade Bendigo police, a court has heard.
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The 28-year-old appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Thursday where she pleaded guilty to eight charges including driving while suspended.
The court heard about 1am on September 14 last year, the woman was driving a silver Subaru on Edwards Road in Kennington.
Police activated their lights and sirens in an attempt to pull her over, but the woman accelerated away.
The officers believed the woman would have to turn back towards them because the road was a dead-end.
But the woman instead drove into the bushland and away from police. The court heard it was raining heavily at the time of the incident.
Officers went to the woman's address the next day and handed her a penalty notice, but she told police her friend had been using the car.
The woman attended the Bendigo Police Station later that night and made full admissions.
She told officers she was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the incident and was "wigging out".
The court heard on September 21, police intercepted the woman while she was driving a blue Kia in the Kennington area.
Read more court: Driver avoids conviction after crashing car in state's south-east
Officers searched the vehicle and found a large hunting knife and a folding knife. The woman told police she had the knives because she had a "fascination" with them.
The woman also pleaded guilty to charges of driving an unregistered vehicle while suspended. Those offences stemmed from two Bendigo incidents in November 2020 and January this year.
Defence lawyer Jennaye Dodd told the court the woman had voluntarily engaged in treatment for her drug addiction.
Ms Dodd said her client was motivated to continue that treatment, so a fine without conviction would be an appropriate sentence.
But Magistrate Patrick Southey said it would be better for the court to address those addiction issues through a community corrections order rather than a fine.
The woman was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order without conviction. The order will focus on treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, and mental health issues.
The woman's licence was also cancelled and she was disqualified from driving for six months.
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