A Supreme Court case against a former Cressy woman who ran into her sister's former boyfriend, seriously injuring his leg, was adjourned because of a dispute over claims in a plea in mitigation.
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Amali Lea De Jonge, 19, now of St Mary's, pleaded guilty in the Launceston Magistrates court last month to causing grievous bodily harm to Brent Cruse, 23, by striking him with a car on November 16, 2023.
It was expected that the matter would proceed to facts and possible sentence on May 9.
However, defence lawyer Lucy Flanagan told Justice Robert Pearce that matters raised in a likely plea of mitigation were still in dispute between the Crown and defence.
Crown prosecutor John Ransom said that the matters raised could affect sentence.
He said the Crown had only recently been told of the matters of dispute.
Justice Pearce adjourned the case until June 7.
A plea of mitigation is an explanation of the circumstances of a crime and may provide a sentencing judge with a guide to a defendant's character.
The court heard last year that Mr Cruse was in a relationship with Amali De Jonge's older sister.
On the day of the incident, Mr Cruse drove his white Toyota west along Saundridge Road and turned right into Charles Street, Cressy.
De Jonge saw Mr Cruse's vehicle and also turned onto Charles Street, cutting the corner and accelerating at speed.
"The complainant parked outside 19 Charles Street and was exiting the vehicle when the accused drove at the vehicle and struck it, severing the complainant's foot," a police prosecutor told the court.
The court heard that De Jonge's vehicle was stopped shortly after and she was arrested, interviewed, charged and bailed.
The court heard the complainant was required to undergo a below-knee amputation.
Bail was opposed by police in November, citing concerning messages on De Jonge's phone about absconding.
De Jonge appeared twice in the St Helens division of the Launceston Magistrates Court before pleading guilty on March 25.
Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
