Marni Jatia Bligh disqualified from driving until 2040

A Qld mother of three had been slammed for her terrible driving behaviour following a three month crime spree spanning from the Fraser Coast to Mackay, and involving aiming a vehicle at police officers.

A mother of three has been banned from driving for the next 15 years after a spree of offences that put “numerous lives at risk” were laid bare, including aiming her vehicle at police officers and dangerous driving on the Bruce Highway.

Marni Jatia Bligh, 30, was out of jail just four monthswhen she started offending between September 29 and to November 22 in 2024.

The most serious offences began on November 16, 2024 when police patrolling in Gladstone spotted Bligh getting into the driver's seat of a stolen vehicle - so officers activated their lights and sirens, and tried to intercept.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard Bligh then swerved into the oncoming traffic lane, as the officers returned to the original address and stood outside their vehicle.

The officers then heard Bligh driving towards them at speed with one officer standing on the roadway, attempting to stop her.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said the most serious of the offending was on November 22 when Bligh dangerous drove a stolen car on the Bruce Highway.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said he was forced to take evasive action to avoid being hit when Bligh did not stop.

Days later on November 22, Bligh was driving a vehicle stolen from Maryborough on the Bruce Highway near Clairview.

The court heard police received multiples calls about a car driving at high speeds, swerving into other lanes and missing multiple head on collisions.

“You put numerous lives at risk and I consider this to be extremely serious,” Ms Hartigan said.

At 8.30am police were notified Bligh was at an address in Clairview - the court heard she told others she had crashed and asked for a lift to Mackay.

Police arrived and searched finding drugs including methylamphetamines and suboxone, as well as a 20cm knife.

She was arrested and taken to the Mackay watch-house where she spent 76 days in pre-sentence custody.

Bligh pleaded guilty to a raft of charges including dangerous and disqualified driving, driving an uninsured and unregistered vehicle, unlawful operation of a motor vehicle, evasion, evasion at night and stealing.

Bligh was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with a parole release date of May 21, 2025.

Defence solicitor Sarah Reid said Bligh struggled with substance abuse, which began after the death of the father of her three children.

The court heard Bligh’s criminal history included entries for dangerous driving, 17 for stealing and five for unlawful use of a motor vehicle charges.

Ms Reid said her client had a significant history and accepted imprisonment was within range.

“What happened on November 22 is not out of character for you,” Ms Hartigan said.

“You have very relevant criminal history … you were not supposed to be on the road.”

Bligh was jailed for 18 months with parole release on May 21, 2025. She was further disqualified from holding a driver's license until 2040.

Ms Hartigan told Bligh to “just forget about driving in the future”.

“This is exactly the sort of offending you keep doing over and over again,” she said.

“You are a danger to the community.”