Melbourne model Savannah McKay avoids jail after pleading guilty to drug offending: Court

A Melbourne model went from glamour to the slammer after a party-drug fuelled crime spree sent her bright career into free fall.

Melbourne model Savannah McKay pleaded guilty to drug offences. Instagram.

A top Melbourne model who claimed to have worked on shoots with Pat Rafter has received a “massive free kick” despite admitting a being a prolific drug user.

Savannah McKay, 26, avoided jail time after pleading guilty to possessing drugs including “baby heroin” between November 2020 and June last year.

McKay was also charged with stalking and other offences in further alleged offending the glamour model is contesting at the magistrates’ court.

McKay, who has worked for various fashion labels, repeatedly failed to front court which caused lengthy delays finalising her matters.

At one stage McKay, who grew up in the affluent inner south suburb of Bentleigh East, had at least 12 warrants out for her arrest.

McKay, who spent 61 non-consecutive days on remand at Dame Phyllis Frost while police were on her tail, was caught with illicit drugs multiple times during her criminal binge.

McKay was nabbed with meth, weed, dexies, valium, LSD and party drugs 1,4 butanediol and GHB at locations including Brighton East, Caulfield North and Highpoint Shopping Centre.

McKay pleaded guilty to drug possession.

McKay and another woman were found passed out in the car park of Bunnings Oakleigh South where police seized drugs from McKay’s black Audi sedan in May 2022.

McKay, who also claimed to have worked alongside actor/model Samara Weaving, was also found overdosed with a bevy of drugs in her possession at a Moorabbin in June 2022.

McKay, who claims to have once posed alongside tennis ace Pat Rafter in modelling campaigns, was also nabbed with quetiapine, an emerging misused schizophrenia treatment medication known on the street as ‘Susie Q’ or ‘baby heroin’.

McKay allegedly called her former flame “up to 50 times a day”, hacked his dating profile and rang his apartment doorbell for three hours straight during a suspected month-long campaign of harassment between November and December 2020.

McKay allegedly barraged the man with phone calls and created multiple Instagram accounts in an attempt to contact her ex.

McKay allegedly stalked her ex.

McKay was also charged with stalking and other offences in further alleged offending the glamour model is contesting at the magistrates’ court.

Police also alleged McKay turned up to her ex-boyfriend’s South Yarra apartment and repeatedly rang his doorbell for three hours straight.

It’s alleged McKay’s ex had to retreat to his car in the basement “in an attempt to get a break from the ringing”.

McKay also allegedly altered an email address linked to a shared Telstra account in an attempt to stop the man blocking her from using his credit card to purchase items.

It’s also alleged McKay “appeared uninvited” at the man’s workplace “numerous times” and also changed her ex partner’s Bumble dating app profile.

The man reported McKay to police who sought out the model while she was working at Prahran.

Cops quizzed McKay about the suspected stalking and harassment.

McKay is hoping to get off drugs.

McKay allegedly told police she was in an “on-again, off-again” relationship with the man but they broke up “three weeks earlier”.

McKay, who is contesting the stalking charge, allegedly said her ex had blocked her because he “gets nasty and vindictive”.

“I can’t get into his building … I remember standing downstairs like calling his name for maybe like 20 minutes,” McKay allegedly told police.

“I know it’s irrational to be yelling someone’s name …”

McKay also allegedly told police the man didn’t want “space” after he blocked her on Instagram.

“He promised me he wouldn’t do this again … he saw the light … he was so sorry he did that to me …,” she allegedly said.

McKay, who was charged with stalking, also denied allegedly calling the victim “up to 50 times” a day.

However, it is alleged the police intervention didn’t deter McKay who allegedly continued harassing her ex via Instagram.

McKay has modelled for various famous brands.

The man went back to police and while he reported the latest bout of suspected harassment he received an Insta video call from an account with the handle ‘Suchashameyouhadtodothat’.

McKay, who was charged with careless driving, allegedly smashed a Mitsubishi Magna while driving through Richmond in February 2022.

Police alleged McKay smashed into multiple Yarra Tram signs, a council bin and tram seating but no one was injured in the suspected crash.

McKay was allegedly taken to hospital and refused a blood test because she had a needle “phobia”.

McKay allegedly told police she “believed” she hit an animal or a back tyre blew out but cops claimed there was “no evidence” to support these claims.

The court heard McKay had not been in trouble with the law nor has she used drugs since her last custody stint early last year.

McKay avoided a conviction.

However, McKay has failed to show up to multiple scheduled plea hearings this year which resulted in the court issuing warrants for her arrest.

The defence submitted McKay had “anxiety” about court because she feared going back into custody.

The court heard McKay, a former high-flying luxury car driver party girl who has modelled for No Bra Club, Bettina and Bonds, committed alleged her crime spree while transient and badly addicted to drugs.

Magistrate Justin Foster told McKay he was “giving her a massive free kick quite frankly” by sentencing the fallen beauty to a 12-month community correction order without conviction.

“I saw (McKay) mouth the words ‘thank you’ but she won’t be thanking me in four months’ time if she doesn’t comply with this order

Magistrate Foster added a judicial monitoring condition to the order and warned McKay she faced a conviction if she messed up.

McKay, whose 61 days in custody wasn’t put on her record, will front court for her contested charges at a later date.