Tokoroa woman who ran over ex's new partner appeals against prison sentence

Talisha Barlow ran over the victim twice but is now eligible for home detention. Photo / File

A Tokoroa mother-of-three who ran over then reversed back over her ex partner's new partner has had her prison sentence reduced and is now eligible for home detention.

The victim 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.

In December last year Barlow, then pregnant, was sentenced in the Rotorua District Court to three-and-a-half years in jail for her actions but she has successfully appealed her sentence.

Her sentence was handed down after the victim drove to Barlow's house and stepped in front of Barlow's car, looking for a fight, according to the recently released appeal findings.

"Barlow drove over the victim, twice. Ms Barlow is the mother of three young children. She was caring for two children and pregnant with a third at the time of sentencing," the findings say.

"She has no prior convictions for serious violence."

Barlow was convicted on one charge of causing grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard and sentenced to three years six months' imprisonment."

In the recently released appeal findings Judge Christian Whata described the sentence as "manifestly excessive" and delivered a new sentence of two years.

As the new sentence is for two years imprisonment or less, Barlow is eligible for home detention.

"The Crown accepts that Ms Barlow is a suitable candidate for home detention
provided the address is not in Tokoroa ... any application will be made for an address in Tauranga.

"The period of detention will be eight months, three weeks."

According to the original sentencing notes 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, the victim, sick of harassment, 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.

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.