Visit ends in paddy van

Offences mean parole revoked

MOTHER of two Rebecca Cruiks came to Toowoomba to visit her boyfriend and ended up going back down the Range in a prison van.

Cruiks, 26, was pulled over for speeding on Cohoe St as she drove into Toowoomba about 5.50pm on Tuesday.

Her car had been linked to two service station “drive offs” but when police asked for her name and address, Cruiks gave false particulars, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Telling police she needed a cigarette and was going to get one out of her car, she was told to stay away from the vehicle, prosecutor Greg McIntyre told the court.

She then did a runner, prompting a foot chase until she was tackled by a police sergeant who was injured in the fall, Mr McIntyre said.

Handcuffed and arrested, she was taken to the watch house where she spent the night before appearing in court yesterday to plead guilty to nine charges including driving on a suspended licence, giving a false name to police, obstructing police, possessing a spoon used for drug use and failing to dispose of used syringes found in her car, and to the two outstanding service station drive-off offences committed in Ashmore on June 19 and Arundel on January 24, last year.

The court heard Cruiks was on parole and would serve out the one month and one day remaining in custody.

Duty solicitor Brad Skuse said his client originated from Southport where her two children lived with her mother and had come to Toowoomba to visit her partner who had children here.

Acting Magistrate Roger Stark noted by her criminal record that Cruiks had a significant history of drug and dishonesty offences.

He sentenced her to two months jail but ordered she be eligible to apply for parole as of September 20, though Mr Stark said it was unlikely Cruiks would get parole.

She was also disqualified from driving for six months.