Stacey Ballantine: Batemans Bay mother attacks police, damages service station

A mum’s crime-filled night smashing into a service station with a crowbar, before assaulting police and threatening to break one’s neck, was placed into the ICU after a suspected overdose just hours later.

Mother-of-three, Stacey Ballantine. Picture: Facebook

A mum’s late night criminal escapades, breaking into a service station with a crowbar and assaulting police, has ended in an ICU, when the woman suffered a drug overdose moments after the crime-filled evening.

The details of a Batemans Bay mother of three Stacey Ballantine’s offending on the evening on May 5, 2024, were revealed by a court on Thursday, when the 34-year-old pleaded guilty to armed with intent to commit indictable offence, destroy or damage property, assault police officer and hinder or resist arrest.

Ballantine sat handcuffed in the Batemans Bay Local Court on Thursday, while Magistrate Doug Dick read the agreed facts detailing her attempt to break into the Batehaven Ampol Service Station, armed with a crowbar, in the early hours of the Sunday morning.

Court documents state police were called to the scene at 3.20am, after Ballantine triggered alarms when breaking open the service station’s door with her metal tool, causing extensive damage.

The 34-year-old mother then used the crowbar to smash two of the rear windows, leaving glass scattered across the floor.

Ampol Service Station, Batehaven. Picture: Tom McGann

Agreed facts state police officers arrived shortly after, calling on her to stand still – an order Ballantine promptly refused.

She began running down Beach Rd, Batehaven, crowbar in hand, when police caught up and grabbed her.

Stacey Ballantine appeared in the Batemans Bay Local Court on Thursday. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

Amid an attempt to restrain her, Ballantine elbowed a police officer in the stomach, before bending his thumb sideways.

“I’ll break your f--king neck,” Ballantine said to police before they finally restrained and handcuffed her.

Ballantine was taken to the Batemans Bay Police Station, where she became seriously unwell, according to court documents.

Paramedics assessed her to have a suspected drug overdose. Ballantine was flown to the Wollongong Hospital.

In Wollongong the following day she was discharged before being placed into custody, where she was refused bail and charged.

Police also found she caused $770 of damage to the Batehaven business.

Ballantine remained in custody for four months before she appeared in the Batemans Bay Local Court on Thursday.

Mr Dick said the details of the crime-filled night were “serious”.

The court heard how Ballantine’s decision to damage the service station occurred while she was serving a community correction order for assaulting two relatives in 2023.

However, her lawyer Wayne Boom, asked the court to consider his client’s three young children and her time already served in custody when forming a punishment.

Mr Dick said these factors would be considered, sentencing Ballantine to a backdated fixed term of 12 months in custody – four without parole.

“This means the non-parole period is complete,” Mr Dick said.

Ballantine will remain on parole until May next year.

She was also ordered to pay the Batehaven Ampol Service Station $770 in compensation.

Mr Dick urged Ballantine to change.

“Your children need a mum,” he said.

“Don’t go back to your old ways”.

Got a news tip? Email us at [e-mail]