Warning for 'ingenious' Masterton teen

Shayde Weston, 17, was caught driving a motorbike she had crafted from a lawnmower engine after being forbidden to drive.

A judge has praised the "ingenuity" of a teenage girl who crafted a motorbike from a lawnmower engine and bicycle.

Shayde Weston, 17, was caught driving the "home-built" motorbike after being forbidden to drive. She appeared in Masterton District Court last week for sentence, having pleaded guilty to driving while forbidden and interfering with a car at an earlier appearance.

On June 25, Weston had been forbidden by police to drive and four days later was caught driving the home-made motorbike.

Then in early November, while on bail for the driving charges, she was caught in Palmerston North with a friend trying to break into a car.

When questioned by police she said she was "trying to get home to Masterton", so thought she would steal a car.

Judge Barbara Morris said Weston had suffered an "awful tragedy", involving her mother, which had sparked her offending.

"If you think back to your mother she would want you to go forward with the ingenuity you have shown in making that cart."

Judge Morris imposed a sentence, to come up if called upon within the next 12 months. "We are hoping that this is the last time we'll see you, if you can stay out of trouble for the next 12 months then there will never be any sentence," she said.