A teen mum-to-be has received a stern lecture from a judge after she was caught drink-driving midway through her pregnancy.
Jahmayla Santana Stewart (18), appeared before the Dunedin District Court this morning after she was pulled over by police on January 13 on Portsmouth Dr.
The breath-alcohol driving limit for anyone under 20 is zero - Stewart blew a reading of 250.
Her lawyer, Chris Lynch, said the unemployed teen had consumed two drinks and was pressured into driving because she was the least intoxicated of her group of friends.
When she told the court Stewart was due to give birth in May, Judge Kevin Phillips immediately reacted.
“She's out boozing and she's pregnant?” he said.
“Do you know the impact it could have on the foetus you're carrying? Your drinking could cause issues for the rest of its life.”
He asked Stewart whether she had read about Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.
She said she had.
But Judge Phillips pressed his point home.
“It's nearly criminal of a mother to drink alcohol when she's pregnant,” he said.
“You could destroy any chance your baby has of a life.”
He questioned Stewart as to whether any of her friends from the night in question were in court to support her today.
“No,” she replied.
“You're prepared to take the risk. Well you've got to take the penalty,” the judge said.
He fined the teenager $250 and disqualified her from driving for three months.
Before she left the dock, he asked Ms Lynch to find some medical information to assist her client.
“Hopefully someone at court can give you a pamphlet about the facts of alcohol on your foetus so you understand it, because I don't think you do.”
