September 05, 2012

Woman admits neglect of child over boat incident

By Anne Clarkson

A woman who took a boy out into the Marlborough Sounds in a dinghy at night, while drunk, has admitted ill-treatment of the child who suffered hypothermia in the incident.

Jacqueline Denise Sanott stole the a dinghy and an outboard motor in Picton, took the child with her into the Marlborough Sounds but couldn?t get the motor started.

She also did not have a paddle or oars and had to phone the police when she started drifting out to sea on July 8 at Whatamango Bay.

At Christchurch District Court the unemployed 26-year-old, of Christchurch, pleaded guilty at a sentencing for drunk driving to further charges of unlawfully taking the boat, being unlawfully in a building when she took the motor, and neglect of the child.

Defence counsel Paul Norcross said when Sanott was drifting towards the sea she took her jacket off and wrapped it around the child, but she was helplessly floating out in the water.

He said she needed to address her alcohol problem.

Judge Philip Moran said he was sentencing Sanott on her fourth drink-driving conviction after she drove in Dyers Road, Christchurch, drunk last April.

He said the chance of death on the boat was present, and all because Sanott was boozed. The child suffered hyperthermia.

He needed to punish her, but she also needed help, he said.

He sentenced her to three months community detention with a curfew, 12 months intensive supervision, and disqualified her from driving indefinitely.

Sanott is also to undergo an alcohol assessment and attend a rehabilitation programme.