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Offender Databases Belinda Sutherland

Belinda Sutherland

Alias

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Offences

Assault of a Chinese woman in late 2005
Also drunk driving, seriously injuring a police officer

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1981

Current Location

At large

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 3 years six months in March 2006
Released by sentence end date August 2009

Background
From Dominion Post story March 2006
Belinda Sutherland claims she is not a racist – despite attacking a Chinese woman on a train, outraged that the woman was speaking in her native tongue. Sutherland, 25, who once referred to herself as a professional escort, was jailed for 3 years 6 months in Masterton District Court yesterday for punching the woman in the face last October and for driving though an alcohol checkpoint two months later, seriously injuring a police staff member. Her lawyer, Jane Johnson, said Sutherland, who had a sad and abusive history at the hands of various former partners, was highly embarrassed at what she had done on a train bound for Wellington on October 12, but that the attack had nothing to do with the victim's race. Julia Chang, 52, on holiday in New Zealand, was sitting behind Sutherland, speaking in Chinese to a friend.

Sutherland was heard by other passengers to mutter "we speak English in this country" and threatened to pour water over their heads if they did not "shut up". She splashed both of them before grabbing Mrs Chang and punching her. "It fills her with no pride, but she was heavily intoxicated and under the influence of other substances," Ms Johnson said. "She does not believe that it (the attack) was racially motivated." Sutherland was also drunk and under the influence of drugs on December 11 when she fled from a police alcohol checkpoint – striking non-sworn police staff member Wayne Poole with her car – and carrying him on the bonnet for 30 metres before swerving the vehicle in an attempt to throw him off. He tumbled on to the road and was knocked unconscious. He also suffered broken bones and cuts.

Judge Denys Barry said the community needed protection from Sutherland. He jailed her for 3 years 6 months in total on charges including assaulting Mrs Chang, driving while disqualified, drunk driving – her fifth – and causing injury. Outstanding court fines of $500 and 214 hours' community work still to be served were cancelled

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Corrections and Additional Information
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