Elizabeth Baker: Mother of alleged murder victim Josh Hyde in Ingham court for drink driving
An alleged murder victim’s mother who has turned to alcohol to deal with the emotional toll has pleaded guilty to shocking traffic offences.
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An alleged murder victim’s mother who turned to alcohol to deal with the emotional toll and length of time she has been awaiting justice narrowly escaped jail after pleading guilty to serious traffic offences.
Elizabeth Ellen Baker, mother of Joshua Hyde who was allegedly stabbed to death in 2021, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court on Thursday to a total of three charges, including mid-range drink driving on November 25 last year followed by high-range drink driving and driving on a suspended licence on New Year’s Eve.
Prosecutor Danny Burke told the court that Baker recorded blood-alcohol concentration levels of 0.143 per cent, just under the high level of 0.15, and a staggering 0.264 driving after consuming coffee mugs of wine mixed with water.
He revealed that the incidents represented Bakers’ sixth and seventh drink-driving convictions since 2004, with the most recent being in 2020.
“The most important aspect in relation to the sentence today is deterrence, both to Ms Baker but also deterrence to all members of the community to show the serious nature of this type of offending.”
Defence Lawyer Michael Bower said he client had a horror upbringing, was kicked out of home when she was 16 and continued to struggle with alcohol and drug abuse, particularly over the last four years following the untimely death of her son in Ingham.
Mr Bower said she had been in a relationship with her partner for 27 years.
Both husband Gregory Hyde and son Thomas Hyde are serial public nuisances and have made multiple recent appearances in the Ingham Magistrates Court on multiple charges.
“Unfortunately, the youngest son, Joshua, was (allegedly) murdered some for years ago in January, 2021 when he was stabbed and as yet … the accused in that matter (Caleb Rutherford) is yet to stand trial,” he said.
“It’s apparently listed for trial in the Supreme Court in Townsville in September of this year, so it will be 4.5 years since the demise of her son and that has understandably left a tremendous gaping wound emotionally with her and all of her family because of this terrible, terrible act and lack of closure, the lack of certainty, the lack of finality.”
Mr Bower said that while the circumstances were not an excuse for Baker’s offending, “it certainly explains why she may be seeking refuge in alcohol”.
Magistrate Cathy McLennan told Baker that she had an understanding of what she was going through regarding the delays to Rutherford’s trial.
“It is a very sorry state of affairs that the murder charge has been going on for such a period of time, I certainly hope you get some resolution for it this year.”
She said, however, that the latest offences, particularly given her history, were extremely serious and warranted a deterrent sentence.
“It is not just about your life but it is also about the lives and the safety of every person in this community,” she said.
“It is very important not to get in the car if you have been drinking over the limit and in this case you were 0.264, five times over the limit, whilst on bail for the earlier offence.”
Baker was convicted, disqualified from driving for a total of three years, placed on probation for 15 months with strict requirements and given a strong warning that any further drink-driving or serious breaches of the order would likely result in time in custody.
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Originally published as Elizabeth Baker: Mother of alleged murder victim Josh Hyde in Ingham court for drink driving
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