Hecklers’ window smashed
"I suspect in the cold light of day, and now that you've gone through all of this, that you would have preferred to have turned the other cheek," he said.
Judge Garry Barkle
A group of males got more than they bargained for when a woman yelled ‘‘I’m going to show you what I got’’ before smashing their car windscreen.
Sasha Lee Message appeared in the New Plymouth District Court yesterday before Judge Garry Barkle who sentenced her on a handful of charges.
The 22-year-old was convicted of common assault, disorderly behaviour and driving with excess breath alcohol. It was Message’s third conviction for drink-driving.
The court heard how a drunk Message was at Challenge petrol station in Spotswood, New Plymouth, in the early hours of November 12 last year when a group of males began making derogatory remarks towards her.
According to the summary of facts, Message jumped from the vehicle she was in and yelled back: ‘‘I’m going to show you what I got’’.
Grabbing a window washing brush she smashed the front windscreen of their vehicle.
She then got behind the wheel of her car, of which the court heard she was a passenger in that evening, and reversed it, almost hitting the glass frontage of the gas station.
Concerned she was going to drive away, a bystander who saw the near miss proceeded to grab the keys from Message’s ignition.
Taking exception to this, she punched the man in the head several times. Before throwing the keys away he tried to pull himself backwards out of the vehicle while Message held on to his head.
She then threw a beer bottle at the first victim’s car, which smashed the rear windscreen, and began fighting with a number of the second victim’s friends.
She was arrested at the scene and a subsequent breath test revealed 548 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.
Referring to a pre-sentence report which recommended a sentence of supervision and community detention, defense lawyer Turitea Bolstad said her client had a ‘‘number of issues’’ that would benefit from supervision.
‘‘In my dealings with her she has been very open and honest and quite frank about herself.
‘‘In particular she advised counsel right from the outset that she does have some issue with anger.’’
Bolstad said Message had also been injured in the physical fight.
Police had not responded to Bolstad’s inquiry of whether the men had been charged for their part in the matter, she said.
‘‘I don’t believe they have been charged and my point here is that there was some provocation involved from my perspective.’’
Barkle said Message’s reaction to the comments was over the top.
‘‘I suspect in the cold light of day, and now that you’ve gone through all of this, that you would have preferred to have turned the other cheek,’’ he said.
He sentenced Message to a total of five months community detention, which included one month for remittance of fines worth $4932, nine months supervision and disqualified her from driving for 13 months.