Jodie Edwards claims parking inspector ‘targeted’ her before she assaulted him
A Canberra woman claims she was victimised by a parking inspector before becoming “angry and abusive” and shoving him in anger.
Canberra Star
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A woman who decked a parking inspector after he wrote her a fine for not having a ticket has claimed she was “targeted” and “victimised” in the lead-up to her crime.
Jodie Edwards, 43, faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday where she had previously pleaded guilty to common assault and to obstructing a public official.
According to documents filed in court, the heavily-set Edwards became “angry and abusive” when she was fined for parking without a ticket near a building site on the afternoon of February 19 this year.
She then shoved parking inspector Tsuneaki Aoki in the chest, causing him to fall backwards and knock his head on another car.
Mr Aoki’s next memory was of him coming-to while a stranger asked him to squeeze her hand.
In a police interview, Edwards said she shoved Mr Aoki because she was angry he had written her a parking ticket.
Mr Aoki was taken to hospital in an ambulance.
In court on Thursday, Edwards’s lawyer Rachel Bird said her client had been targeted by Mr Aoki for repeatedly failing to purchase a parking ticket near a building site in Canberra’s CBD.
“She was being targeted, and effectively victimised by the victim,” Ms Bird said.
Edwards, a single mother, also feared she might lose her job because she had been “named and shamed” in the news and because her behaviour was a “bad look”, Ms Bird said.
In a lengthy victim impact statement, Mr Aoki’s daughter said her father had been a parking inspector for 18 years and had previously been abused by Edwards.
“Since the assault on my father, he has not been the same,” the statement said.
Magistrate Margaret Hunter said assaulting and obstructing Mr Aoki were serious offences.
“Quite frankly, when I first read (the court documents) I couldn’t comprehend why someone would do such a thing, even if they were having a bad day,” Ms Hunter said.
Edwards produced glowing character references from long-term friends, who said decking Mr Aoki was out of character for her.
Ms Hunter convicted Edwards and ordered her to be of good behaviour for 12 months.