Maria Te-Kowhai: Moruya Heads woman convicted after driving to footy at Pambula while disqualified

In a desperate bid to take the footy field and not let her teammates down, a teenager opted to drive 153km down the coast – despite knowing she wasn’t licenced to drive.

Marie Te-Kowhai was convicted after she drove to her football game.

In a desperate bid to take the footy field and not let her teammates down, a teenager opted to drive 153km down the coast – despite knowing she wasn’t licenced to drive.

The incident saw 18-year-old Marie Te-Kowhai wind up in Moruya Local Court on Friday, where she pleaded guilty to drive a motor vehicle during a disqualification period.

To make matters worse, the court heard how this was the Moruya Heads woman’s second time driving while disqualified.

Police documents tendered to the court reveal Te-Kowhai made the “silly” decision to drive to Pambula – more than 150km away from home – for a fixture on Sunday, June 18.

However, Te-Kowhai could not find any other way to get to the game so she decided to drive herself “despite knowing she shouldn’t be driving”, agreed facts state.

Marie Te-Kowhai from Moruya Heads drove to the footy game in Pambula when she knew she wasn't supposed to.

While travelling to the game, police officers patrolling the Princes Hwy ran a check on her registration number under suspicion the licence was disqualified, which was confirmed.

Officers pulled the woman over, who confirmed she was aware she was not supposed to be driving and said she was travelling to her football game.

In Moruya Local Court on Friday, Te-Kowhai’s lawyer Matilda Bogart said the footballer was aware she had made a “silly mistake”.

“She has admitted driving was the wrong thing to do,” she said. “The game was important to her and she didn’t want to miss it.”

Magistrate Doug Dick acknowledged weekend sports were important, but it wasn’t worth breaking the law.

“I know you didn’t want to let your team down, but you ended up on the side of the road talking to the police instead,” he said.

“You’re a young person, but if you keep committing this offence like you have this time, you’re going to keep pushing back your chance to have your licence back.”

Mr Dick convicted Te-Kowhai, fined her $1000 and suspended her licence for a further six months, which will begin when her current suspension ends in September.