METRONEWS
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Woman slapped her mum with a shoe

Lucy Bendell

Judge imposes six-month prison sentence on woman who assaulted her mother in a car, while her own daughter was in the backseat.

Shayne Mary Delahey, 22, has been sentenced on seven charges including assault, failure to stop for a police officer, drink driving, dangerous driving and breaching Covid-19 lockdown conditions.

She appeared in the Christchurch District Court on August 5 before Judge Raoul Neave.

On June 6, Delahey was a passenger in a car driven by her mother. She punched, verbally abused and pulled her mother's hair as she drove. Delahey's daughter was in the back seat of the car.

The mother pulled over and Delahey got out, took off her shoe and hit her mum across the face.

She was charged with assault on a family member and assault using a blunt instrument.

Delahey's other charges relate to two incidents in April.

On April 16, after failing to stop for a police officer while driving in Invercargill, Delahey turned down a side street and crashed into two parked cars causing considerable damage to the vehicles. She then got out of the car and fled on foot.

No one was hurt but Judge Neave said Delahey had made a "mockery of everyone else's hard work".

She was arrested and breath tested. Her breath alcohol limit was 718 micrograms per litre of breath. The legal limit is 250mcg. 

Delahey breached lockdown rules again on April 27.

Alcohol was a key factor in her offending, the judge said.

Delahey pleaded guilty promptly and was taken into custody on June 17, the day after the shoe-slapping incident.

Judge Neave sentenced Delahey to six months imprisonment, fined her $3650 and disqualified her from driving for eight months.

Delahey had already served one and a half months in prison and has rebuilt the relationship with her mother.

Judge Neave recommended a non-violence programme and Delahey is set to embark on the course.