Lismore police pursuit: Bodee Michael Caruana, 33 and Hannah Thomas, 24, sentenced

An erratic couple who took cops on a high-speed pursuit through Lismore in a SUV with fake plates said in custody they will “get out” and “when they come to get us, we will kill them”.

A man and a woman were convicted and sentenced for a slew of driving, pursuit, stolen goods, fake number plates and hindering police charges in Lismore Court.

A woman bought an unregistered car, slapped fake plates on it then took cops on a high-speed pursuit with an unrestrained child and bad boy partner wanted on outstanding warrants through Lismore before making chilling threats to police.

Hannah Thomas, 24, and Bodee Michael Caruana, 34, appeared before Magistrate Michael Dakin in Lismore Local Court on Thursday for sentencing.

Caruana was convicted of driving while disqualified, cultivating cannabis (indictable) and failing to appear in relation to bail conditions.

He was also convicted for break and enter and stealing items under the value of $60,000, two counts of having suspected stolen goods in personal custody, having a licence expired more than two years ago, hindering or resisting a police officer in the execution of duty, using a class A vehicle with unauthorised number plate affixed, and driving with one passenger with a seatbelt or restraint not properly fastened.

Thomas was convicted of driving dangerously during a police pursuit and driving with one passenger with a seatbelt or restraint not properly fastened.

Hannah Thomas and Bodee Caruana were arrested in a paddock at Bentley, near Lismore after fleeing police following a vehicle stop in North Lismore in January 2025. Picture: VRA Rescue NSW

She was convicted without penalty for using a class A vehicle with unauthorised number plate affixed, unlawfully possessing number plates, and having a driver’s licence expired more than two years ago.

Her charge of having suspected stolen goods in personal custody was withdrawn.

Wilson St, corner Terania St, North Lismore where a couple were pulled over before taking police on a pursuit that ended in a Bentley paddock.

On January 27 at 5:28pm, a road policing unit stationed on Terania St, North Lismore, saw a grey Ford Territory SUV with Queensland plates, driven by a male with a shaved head and a female passenger.

Police stopped the vehicle for a random test on Wilson St, observing the male driver switching seats with the female passenger.

When asked for identification, Caruana denied driving and refused to provide ID, prompting police to call for backup.

Police observed the couple in custody displaying sovereign citizen ideologies. Picture: File

At 5:33pm, police informed Caruana he was under arrest, but he slammed the car door shut and instructed Thomas to drive away.

The car sped off, initiating a police pursuit south on Wilson St, exceeding 100kph, and continuing through several streets, dangerously entering a bridge on the wrong side.

Thomas veered off Alexandria Pde at Dunoon Rd into a paddock, and the occupants fled on foot but she managed to restart the car, and continued driving at high speed until the police vehicle suffered a puncture in a pothole.

By 6pm, police found the abandoned SUV on a private property in Bentley, near Lismore.

Police said residents reported seeing a male, female, child, and three dogs fleeing.

The court heard a police drone located them in a creek bed, apprehending them by 7:16pm.

During the arrest, their dog attacked the police dog, resulting in the police shooting it, facts state.

While in custody, police observed the pair displaying sovereign citizen ideologies and Thomas was overheard saying to Caruana: “We will get out. When we do, we will go and when they come to get us, we will kill them”, facts state.

Caruana was sentenced to six months jail and put on a two year community correction order, disqualified from driving or holding a licence for two years and fined $400.

Thomas was sentenced to an 18 month community correction order, disqualified from holding a driver’s/rider’s licence for 18 months and fined $400.

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Originally published as Lismore police pursuit: Bodee Michael Caruana, 33 and Hannah Thomas, 24, sentenced