Haddon woman Felicity Shafton overtook an unmarked police car on the Ballarat-Carngham Road at Bunkers Hill on April 1, before accelerating to speeds of up to 210km/h in a 100km/h speed zone.

Shafton, who had a male passenger with her, wanted to see how fast her new car would go.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski told Shafton her driving behaviour staggered him.

“You only have to read the papers to see what happens to people who do what you did,” Mr Zebrowski said.

“You got a new car and you wanted to see how fast it went. It’s the height of stupidity. You put everyone’s life at risk.

“If you have not learnt your lesson … you will never learn your lesson.”

The Ballarat Magistrates Court was told on Thursday Shafton was driving on the Ballarat-Carngham Road at 7.40pm when she approached an unmarked police car from behind.

The court was told police could not see the car’s headlights as it sat behind their vehicle. It then overtook the police car at a fast speed.

A radar recorded her speed at 207km/h. The accused then turned left into Sago Hill Road, travelling south at speeds of between 140km/h and 150km/h, the court was told.

A police radar detected Shafton’s speed at 147km/h in an 80km/h speed zone.

Police stopped Shafton along Sago Hill Road where she was taken to the police vehicle to look at her fast speed locked on the radar.

Shafton’s alleged speed on the Ballarat-Carngham Road was 205km/h, while her alleged speed on Sago Hill Road was 145km/h, the court was told.

Shafton told police she was on her way home and lived in the area. She said she only had her car for a couple of weeks.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to get home,” Shafton told police.

Her car was impounded for 30 days.

Defence lawyer Andrew Madden urged the court to impose an adjourned undertaking for his client and place her on a good behaviour bond.

He said Shafton had a medical condition which caused her to act with impulse.

But Mr Zebrowski disagreed, saying he was not certain Shafton’s condition caused her to speed.

Shafton, who is expecting her second child in February, was convicted and fined $2000 and banned from driving for 18 months.

She pleaded guilty to speeding and dangerous driving. A police application in impound Shafton’s car for three months was refused.