Tempany Dalgleish, 24, pleaded guilty in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Monday to charges including car theft and gun possession.

Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Clint Prebble told the court on November 2 at 7.30pm, the victim was leaving a Lake Wendouree address in a Ford Falcon.

Having only met the driver a couple of times, Dalgleish said their friend was on the corner, and with no reason to disbelieve the guilty woman, the driver got out of the vehicle without the keys.

"The accused climbed into the driver's side ... reversed at a fast rate of speed and stole the vehicle," he said.

When interviewed by police, the woman denied driving the car, and said she hadn't spoken to the victim since a falling out.

On 16 May, the woman was driving a gold Holden wagon with no registration plates on Peel Street.

A police search of the car found an air rifle and the barrel and trigger of another gun the car's boot, as well as a 20-centimetre knife in the centre console, a 50-centimetre knife and a windowbreaker in her handbag.

Dalgleish was assessed as having a high-risk of re-offending but ultimately suitable for a community corrections order. Her defence lawyer Heidi Keighran argued that her client was "now at a critical point where rehabilitation should be her primary focus".

Ms Keighran said her client had not broken the law between 2012 and 2018, but drug use had restarted after an acquired brain injury from a motorcycle accident.

Magistrate Daniel Muling said the woman's possession of firearms was his "biggest concern".

"The problem is that unfortunately there are more cases coming before the court where people have firearms," he said. "In the wrong hands, they're very much a lethal weapon."

Dalgleish was sentenced to 87 days in prison, time she had already served, as well as 12-month community corrections order with 100 hours community work and conditions around drug programs. She was also fined $1500.

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