Samantha Gray: Wellington mother attacks mother‘s car with golf club over $10 dispute

An angry Wellington mother-of-two who smashed up her mum’s Ford Fairlane after an argument with her dad over $10 has been sentenced.

A Wellington mother-of-two who smashed her mother’s car with a golf club before handing herself into police has learnt her fate.

Samantha Gray, 27, appeared in Wellington Local Court on Tuesday after she was charged with domestic violence related intentionally or recklessly damaging property and being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence.

According to documents tendered to court, Gray was arguing with her father on October 30 last year over $10 he believed she owed him.

Samantha Gray was handed a community corrections order in Wellington Local Court on Tuesday.

The argument escalated with punches being thrown, with Gray arming herself with a golf club and approaching her father. She later told police that she “hit him in the hip or leg area. I was aiming for his head”.

After her father left, Gray made her way to her parents’ home in Bangalla Crescent in Wellington where she proceeded to swing the golf club, making impact with her mother’s registered Ford Fairlane “multiple times” and then smashing and shattering the rear windscreen.

Upon seeing the damage the mother called police, with Gray taking herself to Wellington Police Station where she was arrested. She made full admissions and supplied officers with details of the offence.

On Tuesday, the court heard from Gray’s lawyer, Arthur Nguyen who spoke about his client’s difficulties growing up where she was a victim of domestic violence.

Samantha Gray outside Wellington Local Court on Tuesday.

Mr Nguyen appealed to Magistrate Stephen Olischlager for a community corrections order for his client, explaining the incident was at the high end of the low range of objective seriousness.

He further explained his client had strong prospects of rehabilitation, highlighting a five-year gap in offending and plans for Gray to engage with drug and alcohol programs.

While noting Mr Nguyen’s submissions, Mr Olischlager warned Gray about falling into a “cycle of domestic violence”.

He conceded that the matter was “just” inside the lower end of objective seriousness, but said he was content with the MERIT report which “indicates [Gray] is certainly willing to address issues with alcohol”.

“The damage to the vehicle is not going to be a particularly cheap [one],” Mr Olischlager said. “You have two young children, you have to appear as a role model … to protect them.”

Gray was ultimately handed an 18-month community corrections order.