Car thief Ebony Kay Castle pleads guilty but tells SA court her victim, 74, ‘wanted sexual relations’ so she ran him down

A self-confessed car thief has given a bizarre excuse for robbing and running down a 74-year-old man, and prosecutors say it proves she should be jailed.

Ebony Kay Castle outside court on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

A car thief is trying to secure leniency for robbing and running down a man, 74, by making the “bizarre” claim her victim “wanted to have sexual relations”, a court has heard.

On Tuesday, the District Court was urged to immediately jail Ebony Kay Castle for the crimes she committed at Regency Park more than two years ago.

Prosecutor Alex Rice said that, even after pleading guilty, Castle was trying to “transmogrify” the facts of her offending to “connote a lesser element of moral culpability”.

“Castle has, for bizarre reasoning known only to herself, approached the victim, entered into his car and then run him over with it, causing extensive injuries,” he said.

“She has told a psychologist she ‘later formed the belief he wanted to have sexual relations’ – the prosecution does not accept that explanation.

“If she wants to maintain that particular version of events, and wishes to continue to assert that motivation for her offending, she can give evidence.

“It’s not accepted, and it’s not at all consistent with the depositions of the victim in this matter.”

Castle pleaded guilty to aggravated counts of theft and recklessly causing serious harm, as well as illegal use of a motor vehicle. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Kelly Barnes

Castle, 27, pleaded guilty to aggravated counts of theft and recklessly causing serious harm, as well as illegal use of a motor vehicle.

The charges arise from an incident at Days Rd on September 28, 2020, when Castle stole her victim’s 2011 Holden Epica after pushing him over in the car park of a pub.

Following a police search, she was arrested in Aberfoyle Park.

In court on Tuesday, Mr Rice said immediate imprisonment was the only appropriate penalty for Castle, who wept in the dock as he spoke.

“She has caused the victim significant impairment that will remain for the rest of his life, and which continues to have a profound impact upon him and his family,” he said.

“These were inherently dangerous acts which could have quite easily resulted in the death of the victim.

“This is a matter where, notwithstanding Castle’s lack of prior criminal history, no other sentence is appropriate other than immediate imprisonment.”

Chief Judge Michael Evans remanded Castle on continuing bail to face further sentencing submissions in February.