From the Gisborne Herald:

Community work for 2004 offending
Tuesday, 6 March, 2007

A “QUITE serious” racial attack on a group of Somalis was one of 10 offences that brought a woman a sentence of 350 hours community work on Friday.

Peggy-Anne Pearson, 31, appeared in Gisborne District Court on one charge each of assault, wilful damage, possession of an offensive weapon (a spade), four of breaching her bail, and two each of breaching community work and theft from a shop.

The court heard the charges related to “quite serious offending” in 2004.

Judge John Hole described Pearson’s offending as rather nasty, with significant racial overtones.

They included a racial attack on Somali people, including damaging their motor vehicle.

“It is certainly not something you would be proud of today,” Judge Hole said.

The court was told Pearson had since removed herself from the scene of the offending, was now
in a stable relationship and was trying to be a “pillar” of the community.

She had brought about a huge change in herself, which the community was now benefiting from, the judge said.

If sentenced to a term of imprisonment now — even though she deserved it — it would undo all the gains she had made in the past two-and-a-half years, which put him in a bit of a dilemma.

“Community work seems to be the only way round this dilemma.”

He sentenced her to 200 hours community work for assault and possession of an offensive weapon, and 150 hours for breaching her community work — to be served cumulatively.

She was also sentenced to 40 hours community work for theft from a shop and ordered to pay reparation costs for damage caused to the motor vehicle.

The four breach of bail charges resulted from her failure to turn up to court on many occasions in 2004.

Counsel for the defendant, Kay Goldsbury, said her client had not faced up to her offending in the past, out of underlying concern for her children’s wellbeing.

She had since turned her life around and was better able to deal with a community-based sentence.