Melissa Kate Hunt, 23, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool County Court this week to attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Judge Graeme Hicks said the offence was at the lower end of the scale for a crime carrying a maximum penalty of 25 years’ imprisonment.

He said a jail term was not appropriate as Hunt had no prior conviction, had handed herself in to police and pleaded guilty to a spur-of-the moment offence.

Prosecutor Richard Lawson said that about 8.50pm on November 30, 2010, Hunt was driving a red Holden Calais in Warrnambool with her then boyfriend Jason Best.

She commented a number of times about having difficulties with the vehicle’s brakes.

About 9.30am the next day, Hunt was travelling west along Raglan Parade when she again had trouble with the brakes and the power steering. She pulled over and Mr Best started driving to check the brakes.

But he careered out of control into traffic lights at the Raglan Parade intersection with Fairy Street and pushed over a traffic light, the car ending up on top of the pole.

Hunt decided to slide into the driver’s seat as Mr Best was an unlicenced driver.

She admitted to driving and was arrested for driving in a reckless manner.

About 10 days later she handed herself in to police and admitted Mr Best had been driving. He later confirmed that to police.

Mr Best also had an appeal against the severity of a sentence and a plea hearing adjourned until the July sitting of the Warrnambool County Court so he could get legal representation.