Restrained victim during road rage assault

ROAD rage led a woman to pursue and then restrain another driver so she could be punched, a court has heard.

Hayley Joyce Coxon (27) appeared in the Dunedin District Court charged with assault on Wednesday. She was jointly accused with a 20yearold woman.

The pair were travelling north in April this year when they encountered the victim on the road and grew angry at her driving.

‘‘[Ms] Coxon, who was driving, stopped her vehicle behind the victim,’’ the police summary of facts said.

She got out of the vehicle and held the 33yearold woman back while her coaccused punched her in the face, leaving the victim with a black eye.

Ms Coxon admitted what she had done and told police she was ‘‘enraged by the manner of driving of the victim’’.

Defence counsel John Westgate said Ms Coxon was ‘‘more than willing’’ to meet the victim for a restorative justice conference, and that she realised she had anger issues.

Judge John MacDonald stood the matter down until December 14 for restorative justice to be explored.

‘‘I see the victim says she didn’t do anything wrong.’’