A Waimate woman who embarked on a "Bonnie and Clyde" style crime spree with her boyfriend in the Waitaki Valley has avoided a prison sentence.
The police summary said Dodge was on the run from police when, at 3.20am on August 3 last year, he and Boyes drove into the historic Campbell Park Estate near Kurow.
Suspecting the couple were about to steal petrol from a bowser, the resident caretaker called police, but when a patrol car arrived, Dodge rammed it and drove into nearby paddocks.
After their vehicle became bogged, they abandoned it and ran to a neighbouring farm, where they hid in outbuildings for several hours.
About 10am, after unsuccessfully attempting to start two other vehicles, they loaded a ute from the property with a shotgun, ammunition, chainsaw, alcohol and clothing they had found and drove off as the farmer’s wife "looked out her window in disbelief".
After sightings by members of the public, a police dog unit spotted the pair parked up near the Waitaki River at the end of Ferry Rd.
Dodge drove straight at the police van, and as the officer attempted to drive off the track, sideswiped it and caused minor damage.
When another patrol car began pursuing the couple, Dodge stopped and reversed into it at speed, rendering it undrivable.
A short time later, despite driving over road spikes that punctured two of their stolen ute’s tyres, the couple drove cross-country over farmland, smashing through fences and closed gates. They eventually stopped at a farm cottage, where they abandoned the ute and unsuccessfully tried to steal another vehicle.
They were finally arrested after they broke into a nearby house.
Boyes told police she had got into the stolen ute just before her arrest and denied any knowledge of the previous offending.
Dodge was sentenced in May to four years and seven months’ prison for his role in the offending, as well as for offences in Christchurch.
Counsel Ngaire Alexander said Boyes’ life had gone downhill as a result of her relationship with Dodge, including using methamphetamine.
Boyes was sentenced to five months’ community detention and 18 months’ intensive supervision, with 12 months’ judicial monitoring.
