Heated argument escalated into demolition derby: court

A dispute between a South Grafton woman and her pregnant ex-sister-in-law ended with three smashed cars, a court has heard

Grafton Courthouse

A heated argument between a South Grafton woman and her ex-sister-in-law escalated to the point where the victim’s two cars were rammed.

Bianca Jane Cosgrove appeared in Grafton Local Court on Monday for sentencing after pleading guilty to driving recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous and destroy/damage property.

According to court documents about 6pm on October 28 last year the 36-year-old went to a property at South Grafton, and got into a heated argument with the victim, who was the former partner of Cosgrove’s brother.

The victim, who was pregnant at the time, repeatedly told Cosgrove to leave, and court documents state that after a few minutes Cosgrove got into her car and drove away.

The police agreed facts state that two vehicles belonging to the victim were parked in front of the victim’s residence, and after a short time Cosgrove returned to victim’s property, accelerated along the street and while intentionally avoiding a vehicle that didn’t belong to the victim ram into both of the victim’s vehicles. The court heard this caused significant damage to the driver’s side of both of the victim’s vehicles, as well as significant damage to Cosgrove’s vehicle.

Cosgrove then drove a short distance away where she left her vehicle, and the victim contacted police who attended soon after.

The court heard that after taking a report and photographs of the damage police left the scene and made a number of patrols looking for the accused’s vehicle, which wasn’t found.

Police then attended Cosgrove’s residence where the vehicle was located, and damage recorded. The occupants of the address told police the vehicle had been towed back to the property, and police advised them that they would need to speak to Cosgrove.

Later that night Cosgrove attended the police station where she was interviewed, where she denied intimidating the victim but made admissions to intentionally ramming the victim’s vehicles.

In court on Monday Cosgrove was convicted, and magistrate Kathy Crittenden sentenced her to a community correction order for 12 months. The court disqualified Cosgrove from holding a driver’s/rider’s licence for 12 months.

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