A heavily pregnant young mother who drove 51km over the speed limit through city streets believing she was in labour has learned her fate in court.
Yasmin El-Masri, of Gulfview Heights, was 31 weeks pregnant when she was clocked travelling at 111km/h in a 60km zone at St Marys in Adelaide’s south on May 27 last year.
When she was stopped by South Australian Police, El-Masri, 25, told them she needed to get to hospital.
She was driving on a disqualified licence at the time and provided false personal details to officers, Adelaide Magistrates Court heard.
Yasmin El-Masri (pictured) was 31 weeks pregnant when she was clocked travelling at 111km/h in a 60km zonein May lasy year
Officers followed El-Masri, giving her an escort to the hospital.
El-Masri’s lawyer told the court her client had a medical defence, claiming she was undergoing a medical emergency.
‘Essentially Ms El-Masri was pregnant at the time, she was 31 weeks pregnant,’ Christina Chrisakas told the court.
‘She was driving disqualified and she was speeding – and ultimately we’re saying that she had a defence because she was having contractions and she thought she was in labour.
It is possible under Australian law to argue a defence based on ‘necessity’.
The defence needs to show their client committed an act because if they had not done so they faced ‘imminent peril’.
She pleaded guilty in the magistrates court to exceeding the speed limit by 45 kilometres or more and stating false personal details
El-Masri was assessed on arrival at the hospital but did not give birth until several weeks later.
She lists herself as a ‘devoted mummy’ on her Instagram account.
She pleaded guilty in the magistrates court to exceeding the speed limit by 45 kilometres or more and stating false personal details.
Charges of driving disqualified and failing to comply with a bail agreement were withdrawn by the prosecution.
Taking into account the six-month disqualification El-Masri had already served, magistrate Simon Smart disqualified her from driving for seven more days.
She was fined $3250 and convictions were recorded.
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