Drinkdriver chased wouldbe helper with hedge clippers

A MAN who tried to stop a drinkdriver ended up being chased by the woman wielding a set of garden shears.

The Good Samaritan managed to evade 41yearold Desiree Alamaine Cooper by hiding behind another vehicle.

Cooper appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week after pleading guilty to possessing a weapon, aggravated assault, threatening to kill and refusing to permit a blood specimen (her third drinkdriving related conviction).

Cooper was drinking at a Panmure Ave home but became upset and left early on May 4.

Seeing her state, one of her relatives pulled the car keys out of the ignition as the woman sat in the driver’s seat preparing to leave.

Cooper responded by whipping out a pair of hedge clippers from the driver’s door compartment and swinging them at the man.

‘‘The victim stepped backwards and narrowly missed being struck by the shears,’’ a police summary said.

After Cooper aborted the brief pursuit, she found a spare set of keys and drove away.

The journey was short.

Police pulled her over on the same street and attempted to breathalyse her.

Cooper was noncompliant. On the way to the station, she told the arresting constable she wanted to kill her by shooting her in the head.

Cooper continued to refuse to provide a breath or blood sample and fell over due to her level of intoxication.

When another police officer tried to help her up, she kicked out and struck the woman in the head.

Defence counsel Meg Scally said her client intended to avoid alcohol in future.

Cooper, she said, had clear rehabilitative needs and steps had already taken to organise counselling.

Judge Michael Crosbie acknowledged the defendant had had ‘‘a very difficult life’’.

‘‘It leads me to understand why you took the approach that you did with the police that night,’’ he said.

‘‘But it does not excuse your behaviour.’’

Cooper was sentenced to 10 months’ home detention and banned from driving for 15 months.