Geraldton woman given minimal punishment for hitting high speeds to escape police, as history of abuse heard

A woman who drove at almost double the speed limit in an attempt to escape police while intoxicated has been given the lightest punishment possible after a Geraldton magistrate heard about her struggles with domestic abuse, trauma, and mental illness. On June 16 last year, police spotted the woman driving at a high speed along Chapman Valley Road in Glenfield. When officers tried to pull the woman over, she sped away, driving through Spalding, where she hit a speed of 138km/h in a 70km/h zone, before she was stopped. The woman had been drinking at the Wintersun Hotel before the incident, and was found to have a blood alcohol level of 0.11. On March 31 the woman appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court, having pleaded guilty to charges of driving recklessly, failing to comply with an order to stop, and driving when over the blood alcohol limit. Her lawyer, George Giudice, said his client was facing unfortunate circumstances, including a history of domestic abuse and trauma, as well as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Mr Giudice said the woman had left her partner, who he said was abusive to her, after a verbal dispute, and said she was “suffering from an episode of extreme stress”. He also told the court the woman was attending counselling and planned to visit a psychiatrist. The woman did not have a history of reckless driving or drink-driving offences before the incident. Magistrate Angus Hockton said the woman’s behaviour was serious but acknowledged her difficult situation, as well as the fact she had pleaded guilty at an early stage. “Potentially, there is a risk of a lot of harm to someone. When you drive in the manner you did, you potentially put someone else at risk,” he said. “You know you have those treatment needs, and importantly, you are addressing them.” The woman was handed a six-month community-based order, 18 hours of community service work, and a two-year driving suspension. Help is available at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)