Grandma cops blast from judge

A judge has slammed the actions of a granny who cruised the streets of Gore in her Chrysler Valiant, tailgating another car as her carload of teenagers, including her two daughters, and the occupants of the other vehicle fired beer bottles at each other.

Judge Dominic Flatley asked Joanne Lee Genge what sort of example she thought she had been setting her daughters on November 15 last year.

The 40-year-old Invercargill grandmother replied she had been their sober driver.

Outlining the facts in the Gore District Court yesterday, police prosecutor Sergeant Glenn McMurdo said Genge had a carload of six teenagers, aged between 15 and 17 years.

She had pulled in behind another vehicle and started tailgating it while the occupants of both cars threw bottles at each other.

When the front car slowed down Genge passed it on the inside as they travelled south on Main St, he said.

Judge Flatley had special condemnation for this piece of driving, describing it as a stupid thing to do. It was not so long ago that someone was killed when a car hit a tree while undertaking a similar passing manoeuvre, he said.

Lawyer Simon Claver urged Judge Flatley to let Genge keep her drivers licence for the sake of her grandchildren, who were aged nine months and six months. She was the only form of transport for the babies and their mothers.

However, Judge Flatley said he needed to disqualify Genge for the sake of her grandchildren because "if you continue to drive like this you will kill one of their mothers or both".

She was setting an appalling example. "Do you want them to be where you are now?" Judge Flatley asked her. Genge admitted one of her daughters had already appeared in court.

"They will learn from you and your grandchildren will do the same," Judge Flatley said.

Genge was sentence to 120 hours' community work and disqualified from driving for six months.

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?   #4   03:52 am Sep 27 2009

sum ppl need 2 grow up!!!

guy   #3   08:01 am Sep 25 2009

gorons! ha priceless

TJ   #2   03:29 am Sep 25 2009

Yep the Gorons certainly don't do them selves any favours.

Dandy   #1   08:55 am Sep 24 2009

Gorons...

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