A fight between two women outside a Ministry of Social Development office ended with one in prison, and the other with her teeth knocked out.
Megan Louise Aitken has been sentenced to 17 months in prison on several charges, the lead one being injuring with reckless disregard after the incident in September 2023.
On a charge of dangerous driving last October, when she was clocked at 151 kmh while overtaking a line of vehicles, Aitken told police it was "fun" and that maybe they “shouldn't make cars that fast".
The 33-year-old appeared for sentence in the Nelson District Court on Tuesday, via video link from Christchurch Women’s Prison where she had been remanded on an unrelated matter.
The victim of Aitken’s violence offending outside the MSD office had suffered an initial dental bill of $1225, but the pain and cost had been ongoing, prosecutor Abigail Goodison said.
She said, a year after the attack the victim “coughed”, causing her new veneers to smash on the ground, leaving her “back at square one” with replacement costs stretching to several thousand dollars.
Goodison said it had had a significant impact on the victim, in financial cost and on her personal appearance, but she agreed with the sentencing judge, Tony Snell, that a reparation order was unlikely to be fulfilled, given that Aitken was staying in prison.
On the afternoon of September 18, 2023, Aitken and the victim were inside the MSD building in central Nelson.
Aitken later told police the victim had called her a name and, after that, it was “hands on”.
The victim felt uncomfortable and left as soon as she could, the summary of facts said.
Aitken followed her outside and began verbally abusing her.
As the victim stopped to speak with Aitken, she was punched in the mouth with such force it cracked her teeth and made her mouth bleed, leading to extensive dental work.
The victim then pushed Aitken into a telephone box. She responded by punching the victim again, this time in the right eye.
On Tuesday, Aitken was also sentenced on charges of wilful damage, assaulting a police officer, cannabis possession, dangerous driving and breach of intensive supervision.
Her lawyer Tony Bamford said the offending was against a backdrop of several personal issues, including alcohol misuse and abuse.
From an adjusted starting point of 21 months in prison, Aitken was given credit for her guilty pleas and personal factors, leaving an end sentence on all charges of 17 months in prison.
She was also disqualified from driving for nine months.
