Bernadette Kelly, 38, now of Gilder Court, Hoppers Crossing, yesterday appeared in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court.

She pleaded guilty to using a telecommunications device to harass, failing to answer bail, using a mobile telephone while driving and two counts of driving while suspended.

Kelly was convicted and sentenced to serve three months in prison, which was suspended for 18 months, fined $1300 with $66.60 costs and had her driver's licence suspended for another three months.

The court also heard that Kelly had outstanding fines of $52,981.

If she chose to serve time in prison to rub out the fines she would spend 455 days in custody.

There are 70 Melbourne City Council warrants related to parking and having an unregistered car that add up to $20,407, or 175 days in custody.

On top of that there are 115 PERIN Court or traffic camera offence penalty enforcement warrants that total $32,247.50 or 277 days in custody.

Kelly also owed $337, or three days in custody, for breaching a court's community-based order.

The court heard that Kelly is about to receive a substantial inheritance in the next week after the Supreme Court handed down a final settlement.

She was given until December 31 to sort out her fines.

Kelly is the de facto partner of former Portland district man Peter James Rook who is serving more than 10 years in prison after a Warrnambool jury found him guilty of 15 sex offences in July this year.

Rook was interviewed by Portland detectives in September 2006 and at 2.05pm on August 4 last year police contacted Kelly as part of court proceedings.

Just before 2.30pm the same day Kelly contacted one of the Portland witnesses in the case and spoke about various aspects of evidence expected to be given in court.

It was claimed Kelly threatened to financially cripple the witness and her family.

On her way to the Warrnambool police station in August last year Kelly caught driving while suspended, having accrued 72 demerit points between February 1, 2007, and March 14 last year.

Other charges of driving while suspended and using a mobile phone while driving happened in Hoppers Crossing on April 26 last year.