Albany woman fined after slashing car tyre on camping trip at Kalgoorlie-Boulder caravan park

An Albany woman was handed a fine after admitting to wielding a knife and slashing a car tyre at a Kalgoorlie-Boulder caravan park. Jessica Anne Gardiner, 36, appeared in Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court on Monday via video link charged with being armed in a way that may cause fear. When initially asked by Magistrate Janie Gibbs whether she understood the charges, Gardiner said she “vaguely understood”. Police prosecutor First Const. Nat Parkyn told the court Gardiner was camping with her child and partner at Discovery Parks Kalgoorlie Goldfields on December 31 when at about 1.30pm an argument broke out between her and her partner. As the argument escalated, First Const. Parkyn said Gardiner’s partner got into a car in an attempt to leave the site to “get some space”. The court was told Gardiner then picked up a knife and slashed the front left tyre of the car before “lunging” with the knife at her partner who was in the driver’s seat. By the time police arrived, the prosecutor said Gardiner had put down the knife and the pair were verbally arguing. Gardiner became visibly emotional in court on Monday as she said although she did not “fully agree” with the contents of the charges, she would plead guilty because of the stress the oncoming case was causing on her life. While she admitted to slashing the tyre, Gardiner denied lunging at her partner. In her version of events, Gardiner said she was protecting her child when she slashed the tyre, and her partner then retaliated by calling her a “crazy woman” and using an object to smash the car’s windscreen. When asked a second time what her plea was, Gardiner told the court “I will plead guilty”. Ms Gibbs issued a fine of $200 and ordered Gardiner pay $141.50 in court costs. “I will sentence you on the basis that you were trying to protect your daughter,” Ms Gibbs said. “I am satisfied I can deal with the matter by way of a fine.” Ms Gibbs said she had taken into account Gardiner’s early guilty plea, her clean record and that her partner had spent time in prison. A spent conviction was granted on the basis of Gardiner’s previous good character.