Pregnant woman jailed for running over ex's new partner in Tokoroa

Rotorua District Court. Photo / File

A pregnant Tokoroa woman has been jailed for three-and-a-half years after running over, then reversing back over, her ex's new partner.

The woman was left with a punctured lung, a broken collar bone, eight broken ribs and a broken pelvis after Talisha Barlow's violent actions on February 16, last year.

The victim spent five days in a high dependency unit and eight weeks in hospital.

Barlow was sentenced in the Rotorua District Court last month for causing grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard, and Judge Greg Hollister-Jones' sentencing notes have just been released to the Rotorua Daily Post.

They state Barlow had known the victim since high school and had continually harassed her for five years for being in a relationship with her ex-partner.

On February 16 she saw the victim having a smoke, yelled out the window at her, and the victim yelled back.

She pulled out in front of the victim and slowed down to match her speed, before giving her the fingers, which was returned.

The victim was sick of the harassment so parked her car outside Barlow's address and got out, intending to fight her.

Barlow parked her car nose to nose with the victim's, and the victim walked between the two cars.

Barlow had her two children and new partner in the car.

She drove forward, the victim lost her balance and fell over the front of the two tonne SUV Ford Explorer.

Barlow drove over the woman with one front tyre, sped up and drove over with a back tyre, and reversed to drive over the victim again with both tyres.

The incident was also witnessed by the victim's two children and two children of an associate.

Barlow said her actions were self-defence.

At her sentencing last month, her victim read out a statement through tears, about the impact of being run over.

She said she had since suffered depression, and her son had suffered angry outbursts, was anxious and on high alert.

The victim did not seek retribution, and Judge Hollister-Jones said she offered a "somewhat forgiving attitude".

The victim's family members filled the public gallery and wept audibly as the details of her injuries were described.

Three times tissues had to be handed across the courtroom to the family group.

Barlow's defence lawyer Scott Mills argued that Barlow panicked when the victim turned up at her "castle".

Judge Hollister-Jones said serious injury was "virtually inevitable" and the victim could have died.

In his notes, he wrote: "You are sorry for the injuries, but I detect an element of being sorry for yourself about how you got into this situation and blaming the victim for that. It is not a case of full remorse or even partial remorse."

Barlow looked around, looked down and at times shook her head.

Her third child is due in February and Judge Hollister-Jones said Barlow's imprisonment was "going to have a serious impact on you and your family".