Katie Rickard, 32, had already been given a chance on October 12 when magistrate David Faram granted her bail so her father could take her to Darwin for drug treatment. 

But she quickly took the opportunity to run away before she was arrested the next day and put back into custody.

“The outcome lasted about five minutes, she was released into the care of her dad and off she went,” Mr Faram told Wodonga Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

He admitted she appeared healthier than during her previous court appearance.

Rickard allegedly tried to run down her partner in her car on Vermont Street, near Wodonga Hospital, in July and has been charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury.

She made a heartfelt plea to the court for another chance, saying she had gone cold turkey from drugs and was committed to caring for her children.

“When you bailed me with my father, I was not right in the head,” she said.

“Unfortunately I’ve let a man influence and use my weak mental state against me.

“I’m not saying it’s all his fault, I’m taking responsibility for my actions.

“It’s only been the drug use that’s caused problems.”

Rickard apologised for running away, but said she was happy her arrest forced her to spend the past two weeks in custody to detox and reflect on her bad judgement.

“I miss my children, it’s almost Christmas,” she said.

Her father Rick Patterson told The Border Mail this week that although he was frustrated, he still had hope for his daughter and encouraged other parents to never give up on their children, no matter how bad things get.

Solicitor Mario Vaccaro said Rickard had spent 17 years in a relationship involving violence and drug abuse, but she realised that needed to change.

“She’s in a much better state of mind now and is determined to push ahead,” he said.

Magistrate David Faram said he would grant Rickard a chance for “take two” on bail, if she got help as part of the Court Integrated Services Program.

“Words are easy,” he said.

“You don’t have any understanding of how difficult your situation is, none at all.”

The case was adjourned until February.