Toni-Anne Louise Gibbs in court for stealing cars

A Fraser Coast mum and convicted car thief has faced court for the third time in five years after being spotted by a witness at a Red Rooster drive-thru.

Toni-Anne Louise Gibbs, 31, pleaded guilty to possessing dangerous drugs, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and possessing utensils or pipes that had been used and other offences when she faced Maryborough Magistrates Court this week.

A mum caught repeatedly in stolen cars has been warned she is running out of chances to avoid prison after a magistrate told her she was at “the edge of a cliff”.

Toni-Anne Louise Gibbs, 31, pleaded guilty to possessing dangerous drugs, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and possessing utensils or pipes that had been used and other offences when she faced Maryborough Magistrates Court this week.

Police prosecutor Leon Casey said the victim business in the unlawful use of a vehicle matter was Caring Queensland.

He said car keys had been stolen from the Maryborough business and a Kia Sorento wagon taken.

The court heard police had been contacted when the stolen vehicle was observed in the drive through at Red Rooster.

A photograph of the vehicle was taken, Mr Casey said.

Police arrived and the Kia was driven away “at speed”, he said.

The officers later found Gibbs and spoke to her at Woolworths, who denied being associated with the vehicle, but a witness confirmed she had exited the vehicle.

Gibbs then agreed to an interview and told the officers she had been picked up by a person who had taken her to get some food and had then gone to Woolworths.

Gibbs said she knew the man from school but hadn’t seen him in years, Mr Casey said.

The vehicle had since been recovered.

A search of Gibbs’ handbag revealed 0.5 grams of meth, Mr Casey said.

Gibbs was also found in possession of a glass pipe, scales and clip seal bags.

Toni-Anne Louise Gibbs, 31, pleaded guilty to possessing dangerous drugs, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and possessing utensils or pipes that had been used and other offences when she faced Maryborough Magistrates Court this week.

A three-page criminal history was tendered to the court.

Duty lawyer Morgan Harris submitted for a period of lengthy probation.

Mr Harris said Gibbs, who had a number of children, had engaged with a counsellor for her mental health after experiencing a lengthy violent relationship, after which she had been diagnosed with PTSD.

She had also started taking meth and ice, which she had told police had “ruined her life”.

Mr Harris said Gibbs had been a passenger in the stolen car and was not the principal offender.

Magistrate John Milburn said Gibbs had been a passenger in a vehicle which had been used unlawfully.

She had also had possession of a dangerous drug, he said.

Mr Milburn said Gibbs was still young but her criminal history was growing.

He said he was of the view she was bordering on becoming a recidivist offender when it came to the unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

“Being classed as recidivist is something that is not likely to assist you in any way in terms of sentencing, so I encourage you to take stock of your life and do what it takes to turn it around,” he said.

Mr Milburn said Gibbs had now been sentenced for unlawful use of a motor vehicle three times in the past five years.

He said Gibbs might regard the sentence as her last real opportunity to avoid jail.

“You are at the edge of a cliff as it were,” Mr Milburn said.

“If you take one step further towards criminality, the penalty will not be falling over the cliff as it were, but likely imprisonment.

“Do you understand the analogy I’m trying to make?” Mr Milburn said.

“Yes sir,” Gibbs said.

“In other words, step away from the edge.”

He noted she was a victim of domestic violence and took her circumstances into consideration.

Gibbs was given a prison sentence of two months, wholly suspended for 12 months.

Mr Milburn also placed Gibbs on 12 months probation.

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