Prison likely after attack on love rival
A Dunedin woman has admitted dousing a love rival in hot coffee just hours after appearing in court.
Amber Caitlin Thomas-oliver appeared in the Dunedin District Court by video link from prison yesterday over a campaign of abuse against her ex-partner and his new girlfriend.
On the morning of November 10 — two hours after appearing in court and on bail — the defendant was outside a coffee shop.
Seeing her ex’s new partner putting her child into the car, Thomas-oliver threw a cup of hot coffee over the woman’s back. She then pushed the victim in the chest, before closing the car door on her, forcing her on top of her child in the passenger seat.
As Thomas-oliver walked away she screamed: “I will f***ing kill you.”
Thomas-oliver told police she was “having a mental health episode”, had blacked out and was unable to remember most of the incident.
Court documents show the coffee attack followed wild behaviour from the previous month.
Between October 3 and 7, Thomas-oliver bombarded her former partner with 193 messages, 25 phone calls and two “inflammatory” social media posts — all of which threatened the man and his new girlfriend.
“Leave her. Otherwise I’m getting gangs involved,” one message said.
“I 100% do not care if she is murdered and her kids have no mother, she deserves it,” said another.
Thomas-oliver also made threats about her ex-partner’s beloved Ford Falcon. And on October 12, she followed through.
The defendant went to the man’s home and poured an unknown chemical over two vehicles parked outside, damaging the paintwork.
A bail application for Thomasoliver was postponed so a new mental health report could be completed.
Judge Kevin Phillips convicted her on three counts of threatening to kill, assault with intent to injure, assault and wilful damage. and advised her to prepare for the worst at sentencing. .
“My indication to you Thomasoliver is a full-time custodial outcome I think will be the result after hearing the facts,” the judge said.
A probation report would, however, consider the viability of an electronically monitored sentence.