Wyoming: Disqualified learner Bianca Barr appeals sentence for wild police pursuit in a stolen car

A disqualified learner — who was on parole for previous pursuits — stole a car before leading police on a wild pursuit which ended when she rammed into two cops cars, a court has heard.

A disqualified Learner driver, Bianca Barr, has been refused bail after allegedly leading police on a pursuit and then ramming police cars. Picture: Traffic & Highway Patrol Command

A disqualified learner driver reached speeds of up to 140kmh in a 60kmh zone, crossed onto the wrong side of the road and did six “doughnuts” around the five-ways roundabout at Wyoming before ramming into two police cars.

Appearing via video link, Bianca Barr, of The Entrance, faced Gosford District Court on Friday where she appealed the severity of her jail sentence imposed in the Local Court last month.

The 32-year-old was sentenced to four years jail with a non-parole period of two years and six months, after pleading guilty to six offences including stealing a car, failing to stop during a police pursuit, using a car as an offensive weapon to avoid arrest, resisting police and having a flick knife in public.

The court heard Barr was on parole having served a jail sentence for three previous police pursuits when she stole a woman’s car from Killarney Vale on February 19 last year.

The following day, shortly after midnight on February 20, police were in an unmarked car patrolling Toomey Rd at Mount Elliott when they saw a car approaching “at speed” in their rear view mirror.

Barr appeared via video link at Gosford District Court on Friday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

They pulled over to let it pass before activating their lights and sirens but the car “accelerated harshly” and a pursuit was initiated.

The court heard the car slid sideways on a gravel road before reaching speeds of 120kmh in a 60kmh zone on a sealed road and crossed over to the wrong side of the road to overtake a slower vehicle.

Bar did six laps around the five-ways roundabout at the Pacific Highway at Wyoming. Picture: Google

An agreed set of facts states Barr then did six “doughnuts” or laps around the five-ways roundabout on the Pacific Hwy at Wyoming with police still in pursuit before being clocked travelling 140kmh as she again crossed onto the wrong side of the road.

The court heard Barr turned into Kent St, Niagara Park, where she became trapped down a dead end when a marked Highway Patrol car and an unmarked car pulled in behind her.

She then put the car into reverse and rammed the two police cars before officers wrestled her out of the car.

Police searched her and found a flick knife with a 5cm blade in her pants.

Judge Tanya Bright said it was “truly remarkable” Barr didn’t kill or injure anyone during the wild chase.

Giving evidence at her appeal, Barr said she didn’t deliberately ram the police vehicles but her car rolled backwards and she didn’t resist arrest, she was just crying hysterically.

Judge Bright said her testimony showed Barr still “doesn’t accept full responsibility for her behaviour”.

However Judge Bright allowed the appeal because Barr’s lawyer had been able to establish special circumstances in that Barr had a “disadvantaged childhood” punctuated with domestic abuse and drugs.

Judge Bright upheld the convictions but reduced the head sentence to three years and six months, with a non-parole period of one year and nine months.

With time served Barr will be first eligible for release on September 9 next year.