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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Toby Vue

Woman accused of freeing prisoner admits to drug driving

Lila Rose Mary Walto, 28, accused of helping free a prisoner, pleaded guilty to an unrelated drug driving charge. Picture: Facebook

The woman accused of freeing a Canberra prisoner from custody in a ram raid attack has admitted to an unrelated drug driving charge.

Lila Rose Mary Walto, 28, appeared via phone in the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday when she pleaded guilty to the charge.

The court heard the unrelated drug driving happened in February 2020 and it breached two good behaviour orders.

MORE COURT NEWS

Court documents had listed Walto to appear on that charge plus 18 other charges, including those related to allegedly driving a Jeep to ram an ACT Corrective Services car to free a prisoner in early July.

However, only the drug driving matter was dealt with during the session on Friday.

Walto has not pleaded to the other charges, which include rescuing a prisoner by force, harbouring an escapee and reckless driving, as well as three counts of assaulting a frontline community service provider.

There is also one count of obtaining property by deception from 2018.

The prosecution unsuccessfully requested to have the drug driving sentencing listed with those other charges.

Walto's lawyer, Carley Hitchins, said the other charges would be committed to the ACT Supreme Court.

The defendant remains in custody and Magistrate Louise Taylor set August 20 for when she will front court again for sentencing for the drug driving matter.

A hearing was initially set for the offending for August 13.

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