Teenager jailed for racist attack

A teenager has been jailed for nearly two years after admitting her part in a racially motivated attack on a high school student.

Gemma Whitwell, 18, appeared in the Nelson District Court yesterday for sentencing, having previously admitted charges of assault, assault with intent to injure, intimidation and unlawful assembly.

The court previously heard that Whitwell, of Nelson, and a group of friends repeatedly harassed the 17-year-old student of Chinese descent in the Buxton Square carpark toilets on June 12. They then threw the contents of a rubbish bin over her and assaulted her.

Judge Tony Zohrab said Whitwell had "entrenched views which can only be described as racist".

"Racially motivated attacks are to be denounced and to be punished," Judge Zohrab said.

Whitwell had also admitted assaulting a taxi driver on March 4. She punched the driver in the face through an open window after refusing to pay a $2.40 fare.

Defence lawyer Kelly Hennessy told the court yesterday that Whitwell had a "sad" and "miserable" upbringing, with her parents having been on methadone programmes.

The judge said the charge relating to the attack on the taxi driver were serious as photographs showed the driver suffered black eyes and bruising to her collar bone and shoulder.

He sentenced Whitwell to a total of 21 months' jail and refused her the opportunity to apply for home detention.

"Please take this as an opportunity to try to look to the future. Do something about your alcohol and drug problems and your anger issues," he said.

Whitwell's uncompleted community work and fines totalling about $2000 were wiped as part of her sentence. On another charge of theft of petrol, Whitwell was convicted and discharged but ordered to pay reparation of $80.

- nzpa