A WELSHPOOL woman has admitted taking her partner’s car and crashing it into a wall, following an argument.
Welshpool Magistrates’ Court heard last week that despite Josie Gough taking partner Emma Mann’s Vauxhall Grandland, without her knowing, on the night of February 16 and causing thousands of pounds worth of damage, the couple have stayed together.
Gough, 21, entered a guilty plea to aggravated vehicle taking when she appeared at court on Tuesday, September 3. She also admitted driving with no licence and without insurance.
Gough, of Oldford View, Welshpool, took the keys to the car and left her partner’s home, in Llanfair Caereinion, because she says she struggles to deal with her emotions.
Helen Tench, prosecuting, said police received two calls from members of the public at around 10.50pm.
“The calls were about an abandoned vehicle, which had collided with a wall near a property,” said Mrs Tench.
“There was damage to the property and the vehicle. Police arrived, no-one was present apart from a member of the public.
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“Crumbled parts of the wall were underneath the car. It had collided with the wall on a sharp corner.
“Emma Mann was found to be the owner of the vehicle. Officers contacted the victim, who said she had been in a relationship with the defendant for two to three months and she sometimes stays over.”
Mrs Tench said the couple “had words about a lot of things” on the night in question and Ms Mann went to bed but then noticed later that the defendant didn’t follow her up.
“Then she found the car gone,” said Mrs Tench.
“She contacted police. The keys were not there so she only assumed the defendant had taken them.
“She knew she (Gough) didn’t have a licence. It had expired.”
Officers went to Ms Mann’s address and said she wanted to support the prosecution, while Gough admitted all offences.
“The wall was claimed on insurance. The victim now says she does not wish to seek compensation,” said Mrs Tench, who added: “They are still in a relationship.”
Gurleen Kaur, defending Gough, said: “She admitted her guilt during interview and was compliant throughout.
“She has shown remorse. They had an argument, the defendant says she lacks coping mechanisms and has difficulty handling her emotions.
“She says she felt overwhelmed and wanted to get out of the house. She was impulsive and felt taking the car was the only way to get out. She was trying to get to her mum’s.
“She was not driving dangerously, there were no injuries, only damage to a wall.
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She suffers with ADHD, anxiety and depression, and has been going through a lot with her mental health recently.
“She has recently obtained employment, she has worked in a factory for the last five months. It is the longest she’s been in employment.
“The couple are still together and live together.”
Magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report, which due to the domestic nature of the offence, means Gough could not be dealt with last week.
She will return to court to be sentenced on Tuesday, September 17. She will, in the meantime, be banned on an interim basis from driving.
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