'P' a factor in baby's ordeal

A man who stole a car with a sleeping 20-month-old baby inside has been jailed for four years.

The High Court at Auckland has heard that Hehi Jessie Bedggood was high on pure methamphetamine, or P, when he made off with the Toyota Rav 4 as the boy's mother and grandmother clung desperately to the vehicle.

Bedggood, 39, a mechanic of Manurewa, previously admitted abducting Jack Hawkeswood, injuring his mother, Kelly Hawkeswood, and his grandmother, Greer Drinkrow, who were dragged along the ground, and stealing a three-wheeled mountain buggy from the vehicle on October 8 last year.

At a district court hearing he had admitted unlawfully taking the vehicle.

The High Court heard that Bedggood had run out of petrol on the motorway and was walking along Cavendish Drive in Manukau City when he spotted the vehicle with the engine running, while Mrs Hawkeswood, the owner, was a short distance away.

As he jumped into the vehicle, Mrs Hawkeswood grabbed the car door to try to stop him. Mrs Drinkrow tried to help her.

Both were yelling that there was a baby inside.

The court heard that Bedggood put the vehicle into reverse before driving off at speed, hurling both women to the ground.

As he drove into Cavendish Drive, he noticed for the first time the baby in the back seat.

Bedggood drove to the Southmall shopping centre where he left the infant in an alleyway and alerted a woman passer-by.

Police found the boy unharmed shortly afterwards.

Passing sentence, Justice Peter Salmon said that he accepted a submission from defence lawyer Richard Earwaker that it was an opportunistic offence and that Bedggood had no intention of taking the baby. Bedggood had tried to ensure the child was safe.

If Bedggood did not know the women were yelling at him that the child was in the vehicle, it was because he was so under the influence of drugs.

Justice Salmon said that the abduction of the child had clearly had the greatest traumatic effect on the boy's mother, despite her injuries. She did not know if her only son would be killed, harmed or sexually abused.

He accepted that Bedggood was remorseful.

Prosecutor Peter Dean said it was a significant aggravating factor that Bedggood had said he was "wasted" on P at the time.

Justice Salmon jailed Bedggood for four years for the injury offences, two years for the abduction and six months for taking the vehicle, all terms to be served concurrently.

The judge also remitted unpaid fines of just under $8000.