Hayley Sawyer, 28, and Ashleigh Keith, 27, appeared in the dock together yesterday and pleaded guilty to crimes involving stealing, speeding, driving an unsafe vehicle and the possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Civilian prosecutor Bimal Raut said it was alleged the women stole a gas burner from Alice Springs Kmart last Thursday, and on Sunday crossed the Northern Territory border with it. 

They filled their white utility vehicle with $90 of unleaded fuel from Camooweal Roadhouse, and drove off without paying for it, Mr Raut said. 

Mount Isa police were alerted to the description of the car and found it speeding on the Barkly Highway about 130 kilometres per hour. 

The car had smoke coming from its hood, the left light was broken and the battery clamp was loose, Mr Raut said. 

Police found a large amount of food items, a swag, two hammocks and an unused poker set which were alleged to have been stolen too. 

Mr Raut said these women breached a good behaviour bond they had been placed on them when they appeared at the Mount Isa Magistrate’s Court last month for similar offences. 

Legal Aid solicitor Danny Yarrow said the two women left Victoria to escape violent relationships and travelled to north Queensland to look for work. 

They appeared in the Mount Isa Magistrate’s Court on August 22.

 Ms Sawyer and Ms Keith continued to Alice Springs but could not find any work and were returning back to Melbourne. 

But they ran out of money by the time they stopped in Camooweal, Mr Yarrow said. 

Mr Yarrow said that when the women stole the fuel from the petrol station they were followed by another car, which is why they were speeding.

Ms Keith said the car was deliberately trying to run them off the road. 

The matter was adjourned until today.