Mum threatened to hurt kids

A mother of five children became so desperate she told the power company's call centre she would hurt her children if her electricity wasn't reconnected, the Hawera District Court heard.

Carmellia Gordon, 28, from Stratford, pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge of threatening to kill.

It was a reduced charge to that of blackmail for which Gordon appeared in court last year.

The court heard how on November 18 at 8.43pm Gordon rang Genesis Energy's call centre to be told she had to pay the total amount owing before the power was reconnected.

When she asked if she could pay the money the next day but have the power back on that night, the call centre representative told her she had been sent a number of messages and had plenty of time to make payments.

Becoming more and more agitated Gordon said to the call centre rep, "What am I supposed to do with the baby, just chuck it in the river?".

"Seriously, I'm gonna do something really bad tonight if you can't get that power back on tonight. So I am putting my children's lives in your hands if that power doesn't go back on."

When the call centre rep said that wouldn't be necessary, Gordon said "it is, it is, 'cause I've had enough".

After consulting with her supervisors the call centre advised Gordon the power would be switched back on, the reason being she was concerned for the safety of the children.

Gordon later told police she had no intention of hurting her children, but she was frustrated and desperate.

Judge Allan Roberts sentenced Gordon to a nine-month good behaviour bond.

- © Fairfax NZ News