Woman bailed after alleged car theft, break-in offences

Kelly Marie Flanagan, 35, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court last week after she was charged with offences including theft of a motor vehicle.

Police alleged Ms Flanagan stole a white Hyundai van from a Melbourne car park on July 14 this year.

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The court heard about 2.50am on July 23, Ms Flanagan and a co-accused allegedly broke into an unattended property near Malmsbury.

The pair allegedly damaged a window to enter the home before searching through the property. The alleged incident was captured on CCTV footage.

The court heard the owner of the unattended property was notified of the alleged intruders and contacted police.

Officers arrived to find Ms Flanagan and the co-accused trying to move the van, which was bogged down.

Police also allegedly found a Polaris quad bike parked behind the van with metal ramps.

Officers arrested Ms Flanagan and the co-accused, and searched the van.

They allegedly found two syringes filled with a clear substance believed to be the drug GHB and a ziplock bag with 1.12 grams of a white crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine.

The court heard the co-accused admitted to possessing the drugs during his police interview.

During her record of interview, Ms Flanagan told police she did not know the van was an outstanding stolen vehicle.

She told officers she had been driving with the co-accused when the pair got lost and ended up at the alleged victim's home.

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Ms Flanagan said the van became bogged down when they tried to perform a u-turn, so they smashed a window at the property to grab a shovel so they could try and extricate the van.

Police informant Leading Senior Constable Cameron Dean told the court Ms Flanagan should not be released on bail because she was an unacceptable risk of reoffending as she had committed these alleged offences while on bail.

Defence lawyer Rose George told the court Ms Flanagan started offending about three years ago when she became homeless.

Ms George said prior to that, Ms Flanagan had been a contributing member of society and a full-time mum.

The defence lawyer said Ms Flanagan had been accepted into the Court Integrates Services Program and there was now stable accommodation available to her.

Ms George said Ms Flanagan was also an Aboriginal woman who was four months pregnant so she was particularly vulnerable in custody.

Magistrate Megan Aumair said Ms Flanagan had a "concerning" criminal history and the prosecution's case was "reasonably strong".

But Ms Aumair said given Ms Flanagan was an Aboriginal woman in custody who had an offer of stable accommodation and CISP, she would be released on bail.

The magistrate said the conditions of bail included Ms Flanagan must reside at a Melbourne address with a 8pm to 6am curfew.

Ms Flanagan was released from custody. She is due to appear in the Castlemaine Magistrates' Court later this week.

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