Jail time for week-long crime spree

STRING of charges for Queensland woman following a crime spree throughout the NSW North Coast.

court generic. Picture: Thinkstock

A QUEENSLAND woman used a replica firearm in an attempt to force a man from his vehicle while trying to flee police after a crime spree.

Yesterday, she was sentenced in Grafton District Court.

Tamyka Blatch, 25, from Wynnum West in Queensland, pleaded guilty to using a replica firearm with intent to take and drive a motor vehicle.

Blatch also pleaded guilty to a string of charges following a week-long crime spree with her lover and a 15-year-old boy, which included theft of alcohol at Evans Head, stealing from a South Grafton tobacconist and shoplifting in Coffs Harbour.

According to police facts, on April 7 last year, police spotted a black Toyota RAV4 with Queensland registration which was suspected to be involved in the various property offences from the week before.

At about 4pm police spotted the Toyota and attempted to stop the vehicle near Ulmarra.

The vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit followed, heading north on the Pacific Highway.

Two police officers took up a position further north and deployed road spikes, which successfully punctured the front tyres of the Toyota, however the vehicle continued further north of Iluka near Tabbimoble, where it attempted to turn onto a back road into a nearby national park.

While attempting the manoeuvre the Toyota crossed into the path of a white Suzuki van heading south. The driver of the van stopped and saw Blatch exit the front passenger seat and run towards the van.

She leant inside the van, threw her handbag onto the front passenger seat and yelled to the driver "get out of the f---ing car" and tried to remove the driver's seatbelt and push him from the van.

The driver tried to keep Blatch from entering the vehicle until police arrived, and Blatch and the two accomplices ran into the bushland.

After a search of the area police recovered the plastic fake gun near the Suzuki van.

When questioned by police, Blatch admitted to using the fake firearm to threaten the driver of the van.

In Grafton District Court last Friday, Blatch was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, with a non-parole period of one year and nine months.

Originally published as Jail time for week-long crime spree