Parramatta women Melissa Cooke, Lorna Whitmore, Thi Nguyen refused bail after alleged police chase in Smithfield

A police helicopter and roadspikes were deployed as officers moved to stop a Mitsubishi Pajero’s alleged wild ride through western Sydney streets. See what happened when three women faced court this morning.

An alleged high-speed pursuit through western Sydney on Easter Sunday morning has been labelled by a magistrate as “hair-raising”, after police used road spikes to stop the vehicle.

Three western Sydney women who allegedly led police on a high-speed chase through the city’s southwest on Easter Sunday morning have lost their bid for freedom.

Police began a pursuit of an allegedly stolen Mitsubishi Pajero SUV on Eagle Vale Dr in Eagle Vale shortly before 9am yesterday after it failed to stop, but terminated the chase soon after.

Tracked by the Polair police helicopter, the Pajero driver was traced to a street in Smithfield, where police used road spikes to bring the SUV to a halt on the Cumberland Hwy.

The 31-year-old driver - Melissa Leanne Yvonee Cooke - was arrested as were passengers Thi Tuyet Lan Nguyen, 22, and Lorna May June Whitmore, 30.

They were taken to Fairfield Police Station, where Nguyen and Whitmore were charged with being in a stolen car and not disclosing the identity of the driver or other passengers to police.

Cooke, of Parramatta, was slapped with seven driving related charges, including car theft, dangerous and high-speed driving during a pursuit, and not complying with P1 licence restrictions.

Magistrate Derek Price told Parramatta Bail Court on Monday the facts of the alleged chase were “hair-raising” – with the car allegedly reaching speeds of 190kmh – and refused all three bail.

Police allegations tendered to court similarly describe the pursuit as “catastrophic”, the court heard.

One passenger – who was not named – allegedly filmed the Polair police helicopter during the pursuit.

The trio’s bail application by their legal aid lawyer also shed light on the alleged offenders.

Parramatta Local Court.

All three women were on some form of conditional liberty at the time of their arrest, the court heard.

The police prosecutor said Cooke – a mother of six – had a “substantial” criminal history and was on parole.

Whitmore, of Merrylands, was also serving an intensive correction order at the time of the alleged offending.

Magistrate Price said he “lost count” of the number of times she had been non-compliant with court orders.

Nguyen’s lawyer meanwhile said the 22-year-old was “making progress”, and was also on parole.

The North Parramatta woman had been diagnosed with PTSD and was receiving counselling.

Nonetheless, Mr Price said the court could not grant conditional bail that would address police concerns.

“There are no less than 10 charges of driving while disqualified on your record,” Magistrate Price told Nguyen.

“This court is at a total loss in how to structure a regimen where police concerns could be managed.”

All three women are to appear before Sutherland Local Court on Thursday.