Chantslea Sue Curran sentenced for fraud, drugs, and joy ride in stolen car

A former Gympie private school student sobbed as her sentence was handed down for multiple offences including stealing cars, possessing drugs and fraud.

Former equestrian rider Chantslea Sue Curran, 20, left a Gympie magistrate stunned on Tuesday with the number and nature of her offences.

A former equestrian rider and Victory College student who went off the rails after leaving the school left the Gympie Magistrate stunned on Tuesday over the number of offences she’d committed despite her age.

Chantslea Sue Curran, 20, pleaded guilty in Gympie Magistrates Court to fraud, stealing two cars, possessing cannabis and driving unlicensed.

Curran was also on probation from previous crimes at the time of offending, which is the second time she has breached a probation.

Police prosecutor Michael Phillips told the court Curran committed the stealing offence and fraud on the same day in October 2020, when she stole a car from Coochin Creek and drove it up the Bruce Highway.

She later filled the car with fuel before driving off without paying.

She was also unlicensed at the time, having been disqualified from obtaining a licence from a court order.

Sergeant Phillips said Curran was on bail when she was busted with cannabis.

“She was released on parole after that,” he said.

Defence lawyer Chris Anderson told the court of Curran’s potential to be a successful equestrian.

“She attended Victory College up to Year 10,” Mr Anderson said.

“After that, she was working and competing in equestrian.”

He said she simply mixed with the wrong people, which led her down this path.

Magistrate Kurt Fowler made note of the fact Curran had also spent six months in custody, despite being so young.

“You’ve managed after today to accumulate a history which would suggest a person, perhaps much older than 20,” he said.

The 20-year-old sobbed while her sentence was handed down.

She was fined $750, disqualified from driving for two years, and sentenced to 10 months behind bars, but released immediately on parole.