Jorja Wheeler appeals Taree street racing sentence in District Court

There has been a development in the case of a 17-year-old sentenced for street racing and driving recklessly through the centre of Taree.

Taree police station and courthouse.

There has been a new development in the court case of a Taree teenager sentenced earlier this year for street racing and driving recklessly through the centre of Taree late at night.

Jorja Wheeler wept as her sentence was handed down at Taree Local Court on Wednesday, March 8.

Now, Wheeler has appealed her sentence and the matter has been referred to the District Court, sitting this week in Taree.

The teen pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a race late at night on December 11 last year, which police said reached speeds of 150kmh in a 60kmh zone through the built up area of Victoria St.

Wheeler, who was 17 at the time of the incident, was charged with taking part in a race between two vehicles and driving recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous.

Jorja Wheeler leaves Taree Local Court on March 8

A third charge of speeding more than 45km over the speed limit was withdrawn.

The Taree P-plater raced another teen, alleged to be 19-year-old Blake Cross, down Victoria St about 11.30pm on December 11 last year.

Cross has pleaded not guilty to street racing, but guilty to reckless driving. His matter has been adjourned to June 28.

When sentencing Wheeler on March 8, Magistrate Allison Hawkins had some strong words for the young driver.

She told the court Wheeler had only had her licence “five minutes”, was “extremely inexperienced” and that her actions posed a huge risk to the public.

Victoria Street, Taree.

Ms Hawkins said the community was fed up hearing about P-platers crashing and dying.

“How did you think this was going to end? Going 130kmh along a built up area,” she said.

“I have a drawer full of P-platers dead – I do coronial reports on those deaths.”

Wheeler was driving a white Mazda 3 and the co-accused was in a black Mazda 3, according to police documents.

Police state the race went along Victoria St (which becomes Chatham Ave) towards Plover St in the Chatham area for just under 2km, crossing seven ‘blind’ intersections.

Wheeler was convicted, disqualified from driving for three years and fined $1100.

She was also placed on a 12-month community corrections order.

Wheeler’s appeal is listed for mention in Taree District Court on June 13.