Stephanie Louise Bennett, 33, charged with using Sea World pilot Ash Jenkinson’s name to dodge traffic fine

A woman charged with using dead Sea World chopper pilot Ash Jenkinson’s name to dodge a traffic fine has made a bizarre move as she failed to turn up to court.

The Sea World chopper tragedy.

The woman who allegedly tried to get out of a traffic fine by claiming deceased Sea World helicopter pilot Ash Jenkinson was the driver has issued an apology in an email read to court, saying she tried to “undo” her actions after she “remembered what she did.”

Stephanie Louise Bennett, 33, was caught using her phone while driving in December, before allegedly nominating Mr Jenkinson as the driver using information from his death notice on January 9, just days after he and three others were killed in the tragic helicopter crash.

Mr Jenkinson’s grieving widow Kosha Richardson-Johnson received the fine notice and contacted authorities.

When investigators found Ms Bennett, police will allege in court that she fraudulently used Mr Jenkinson’s name and date of birth to avoid losing her licence after she was handed an infringement notice for using her mobile phone whilst driving on December 15.

Sea World Helicopters pilot Ash Jenkinson and his partner Kosha Richardson-Johnson.

She now faces one count of fraud dishonestly inducing a person to act and one count of obtaining or dealing with another’s identity identification information for the purpose of committing or facilitating commission of an indictable offence.

Ms Bennett was due to appear before Magistrate Terry Duroux at the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday.

But police prosecutor Sergeant Darrel Armfield revealed in court that she had instead written an apology email to the court, attempting to plead guilty to the charges.

Relaying the email, Magistrate Duroux told the court Ms Bennet “desired for the following submissions to be brought to the attention of the justices.”

“I apologise for the hurt that this has caused everyone. I am immensely regretful of my actions,” Ms Bennet wrote.

Ash Jenkinson.

“At the time I was going through personal matters, had time off work due to an injury, had no sick leave or annual leave as I had just changed jobs and had financial troubles at the time I received the infringement.

“I did not know the person I nominated, I found his information via the obituary.

“The following day I remembered what I did and tried to undo it by attempting to nominate myself but the website didn’t accept it.”

Ms Bennett concluded her email saying she had pleaded guilty to the two charges.

Sergeant Armfield said he wouldn’t accept the guilty plea due to the serious nature of the charges, which carry a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.

Magistrate Duroux agreed, saying “the gravity of the alleged offending is far too serious to be dealt with by way of written plea”.

Ms Bennett guilty pleas were rejected and her matter adjourned to April 20.

Magistrate Duroux ordered she must appear before the court in person, or a warrant would be issued for her arrest.

An arrest warrant was drafted should Ms Bennett fail to appear.

Originally published as Stephanie Louise Bennett, 33, charged with using Sea World pilot Ash Jenkinson’s name to dodge traffic fine