Shannon Blackman: woman snapchatted from stolen car

A young Sydney woman who snapchatted a picture of herself inside a stolen Audi has been charged with two counts of travelling in a stolen car. Shannon Blackman has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Shannon Blackman, 18, pleaded not guilty to being carried in a stolen car after she was allegedly captured on CCTV in the same car she posted from on social media.

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A young Sydney woman who snapchatted a picture of herself inside a stolen Audi has been charged with two counts of travelling in a stolen car.

Shannon Blackman, 18, pleaded not guilty at Sutherland Court yesterday to both counts of being carried in a stolen car after she was allegedly captured on CCTV in the same car she posted from on social media.

Sutherland Shire police allege Blackman was a passenger in the stolen silver Audi at 5.51pm on October 15 in Bonnet Bay.

Blackman has pleaded not guilty to travelling in the stolen cars.

“There is a photo on her phone that shows the Audi … saying ‘all fresh and clean’,” the prosecutor told the court.

“This coupled with the other evidence is a strong prosecution case at this stage.”

Blackman’s solicitor Nicholas Digges did not contest the fact she was in the stolen vehicle but submitted she was unaware the car was stolen when she travelled in it.

It is further alleged Blackman travelled in a second stolen car, a blue Ford Focus, at 6.30pm on November 12 in Woronora prior to her arrest.

“She tells me that she did not know that the cars were stolen,” Mr Digges told the court.

Blackman claimed she was unaware the cars were stolen.

Mr Digges told Magistrate Jayeann Carney his client suffered serious mental health issues.

“Things have gone downhill this year,” he said.

“Her father is currently in custody, and her mother died when she was six months old – there isn’t a sort of role model that a young mentally ill person needs.”

The young woman had sought additional help from her childhood psychologist after realising her “mind was becoming cloudy” just before she turned 18.

Blackman told Ms Carney from the dock her record had deteriorated as she had been unable to live with her grandmother since last June.

Blackman was granted strict conditional bail in court.

“I’ve gone downhill since I haven’t been able to be at home,” Blackman said.

Blackman wept in the dock with her head in her hands before bail was granted.

“You’re on a knife edge for getting locked up,” Ms Carney told Blackman.

“It’s really serious and you have to get back on the straight path.”

She will be required to reside with a family friend in Woronora, observe a curfew from 8pm until 6am each night, and abstain from alcohol and drugs unless prescribed.