A woman who threatened to have an off-duty police officer shot in the head has avoided a prison sentence because of her health.
Lele Nuuaea, 40, charged with threatening to kill, speaking threateningly and drink-driving, was sentenced to nine months' intensive supervision and disqualified from driving for 13 months byJudge Oke Blaikie in Wanganui District Court yesterday.
The court was told that on September 6, Nuuaea was in a Wanganui supermarket when she became involved in an altercation with her son's partner.
Their relationship was described as strained and they did not have anything to do with each other.
When an off-duty police officer intervened, Nuuaea told him: 'I'll kill you, I'll get you shot in the head you white devil''.
She also told her son's partner and the woman's mother they were "both dead''.
Nuuaea's explanation to police later was that she wasn't allowed to see her grandson.
Nuuaea was also convicted of drink-driving after being stopped by police three days later and and found with a breath alcohol level of 512mcg. The legal limit is 400mcg. It was the fifth time she had been caught driving with excess breath alcohol.
Defence lawyer Peter Brosnahan said she had been through a "shocking time'' in the course of her life, and had major emotional and psychological health issues.
When asked if she had made up with the complainants, Mr Brosnahan said the "walls are pretty high and the bridges are shaky''.
Judge Blaikie said Nuuaea's pre-sentence report was punctuated with serious offending, difficult relationships and in some instances, ignoring orders and directions.
He said people with five excess breath alcohol charges could expect to be sent to prison and if it were not for her health, she would be too.
