Billie Jo Wilkie, a participant in controversial SBS documentary Struggle Street, has found herself behind bars after being nabbed twice in a day for driving while disqualified.

Wilkie, 22, who was attacked on social media two days ago for smoking a bong while pregnant, appeared before Mount Druitt Local Court on Friday on charges of driving without a licence and driving an unregistered vehicle.

• Garbage truck protest against poverty porn
• SBS poverty doco is trash
• Real Aussies: how the budget affects them

Wilkie, of Lethbridge Park, was arrested on Thursday. She reportedly spent the night in a cell at Mount Druitt police station and did not apply for bail. The matter was adjourned until May 19.

Struggle Street is a three-part documentary that promised to give unvarnished gives insight into a corner of the country dealing with high levels of drug addiction, unemployment and family dysfunction.

The documentary opened with images of sparkling Sydney Harbour, the gateway to the sun-bronzed Aussie lifestyle. Mount Druitt, narrator David Field explained, was also part of NSW, just not a side of life you’d see in tourist brochures.
There was no hint of the “lucky country” in Struggle Street. It was a focus on Australians living on the fringes and the show was met with anger by many who live in Mt Druitt.

Those upset with Struggle Street wanted to know why there were no well-adjusted families and individuals in Mount Druitt profiled in the show.

Police said they caught Ms Wilkie driving without a licence at 3.30pm on Thursday and that her Ford Falcon was unregistered.

Ms Wilkie was told she would be issued a court attendance notice. Police claim that six hours later she was back behind the wheel of the same car. They say they stopped her to conduct a random breath test.