A HAMILTON woman who allegedly sparked four police pursuits because she feared being jailed has now been remanded in custody.
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Susan Elizabeth Barnes, 37, of Mill Road, unsuccessfully applied for bail in Warrnambool Magistrates Court yesterday after being charged with a string of alleged offending.
She had been charged with numerous driving offences involving five briefs of evidence which, if proven, would breach a previously suspended jail sentence.
Charges include driving while suspended, failing to appear in court, breaching an alcohol interlock condition, possession of drugs and reckless conduct endangering serious injury.
Her unregistered car was seized by police about a week ago.
Magistrate John Lesser remanded Ms Barnes in custody until April 20.
He said he was not satisfied Ms Barnes would show up in court and she was an unacceptable risk of continuing to commit offences.
Ms Barnes said she did not know who had been driving her car when it was involved in the police chases.
Hamilton policewoman Constable Alisa Turner said five warrants had been issued for Ms Barnes’ arrest after being charged with offences allegedly committed between November last year and February this year.
She then failed to appear in the Hamilton Magistrates Court on March 4.
Ms Barnes’ car, a red Holden Commodore sedan, came to the attention of police on March 5, March 6 and March 15 before she was found at her partner’s home hiding under a bed last Saturday.
On March 5 police attempted to intercept the unregistered sedan on the Coleraine Road.
The driver accelerated away at high speed and the pursuit was soon after terminated due to the danger she posed to other road users.
On March 6 police again attempted to intercept the same vehicle in Hamilton’s Bree Road. Police activated their flashing lights and siren, but the Commodore accelerated away and the chase was again stopped.
On March 15 the red Commodore was seen by police travelling north on the Hamilton-Natimuk Road.
A police officer identified Ms Barnes as the driver, did a U-turn and Ms Barnes dramatically increased her speed.
Constable Turner said that on February 19 Ms Barnes was seen driving by police. She was known to have a suspended driver’s licence.
Police attempted to pull over the red Holden Commodore but Ms Barnes accelerated to about 150km/h along Mount Bainbridge Road, slowed down and then accelerated to a similar speed along the Henty Highway. The chase was again terminated by police.
When arrested on Saturday Ms Barnes told police she feared going to jail and drove fast to try and get away from police.