Holly Cheatley pleads guilty to unlawful use of motor vehicles, obstructing police

Police were forced to chase a former Sunshine Coast pathology worker who ran from officers after they found a stolen vehicle at her home, however what was discovered on her mobile piqued their interest.

Holly Louise Cheatley faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court from custody on Tuesday. Picture: Social media

A former Nambour pathology worker has filmed her criminal exploits before she sprinted from police when she was caught red handed.

Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday of Holly Louise Cheatley’s flurry of crimes after she pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, trespassing, obstructing police and driving without a licence.

The court was told the 30-year-old unlawfully used a stolen car and its trailer between January 1 to January 30.

Cheatley came into the crosshairs of police after they found both vehicles outside a Tewantin home where she was staying.

Cheatley appeared in court by video from prison. Picture: Social media

Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin said when officers entered the property, Cheatley ran away.

“You obviously had something to hide,” Mr McLaughlin said.

When police scoured her phone, they found videos from January 27 where Cheatley was filming a man driving the stolen vehicle while she was in the passenger seat.

The court heard a second video was found in the reverse on January 17, where she was depicted driving it in bushland.

Cheatley also unlawfully entered a home along Howard St at Nambour on January 31.

The court heard the 30-year-old had been in custody in the two months leading up to her sentence.

Police prosecutor Tara Miles said the Nambour woman committed the offences while on parole, and listed some of the 30-year-old’s past achievements which included attempting to escape from custody and other unlawful uses of motor vehicles.

She pleaded guilty to five charges. Picture: Social media

The court heard her previous sentence will conclude on August 13.

Defence lawyer Matt Cooper said the vehicles were recovered and there was no damage sustained to them.

Mr Cooper said Cheatley previously worked as a phlebotomist and a lab technician in pathology however had been battling a drug addiction, which was in context of her mental health disorders.

The Nambour woman’s lawyer said these days the 30-year-old worked as a landscaper at the Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre at Wacol in Brisbane.

Mr McLaughlin said the videos found by police of Cheatley’s crimes appeared to be “like some sort of … trophy” however cited there was no evidence she was the thief of the vehicle and its trailer.

He jailed Cheatley for 12 months, but set her parole eligibility date as of Tuesday.

She was also disqualified from driving for one month.