KIMBERLEY Cheree Brown was intoxicated when she spat on two police officers, grabbed another around the neck and kicked a male officer in the groin, a court heard yesterday.
Her violent outburst happened last year after police attended a domestic dispute and found Brown sitting in a gutter with an open can of beer.
Immediately she was aggressive to police and told them with a profane expression to leave.
Then came the physical confrontation where Brown spat in the face of an officer and later did the same to another officer when being put in a police vehicle.
“Spitting on someone is one of the most disgraceful acts,” magistrate Tony Murray told Brown in Albury Local Court.
“I regard spitting on police as a very low act.”
Brown, 25, of Peel Street, Albury, appeared for sentencing on charges of assaulting police causing actual bodily harm, two counts of assaulting police, resisting arrest and offensive language.
Mr Murray fined her $400 for the language offence and put her on seven-month suspended sentences on the other charges.
He told Brown that police cannot be used as punching bags.
She has been ordered to attend full-time drug and alcohol rehabilitation if directed by Probation and Parole along with submitting to random urine analysis.
Mr Murray said Brown was so intoxicated that police did not interview her.
Solicitor Andrea MacDonald said Brown has an alcohol problem and recently has been attending counselling.
Brown sat wiping tears from her face with a tissue as Ms Macdonald asked Mr Murray to avoid sending her to jail.
The court was told police went to premises in Union Road about 9.05pm on October 31 and saw Brown sitting in the gutter.
There was blood on her clothing and arms and she walked towards police swearing at them.
Brown was restrained, began thrashing with her legs and arms and spat into an officer’s face.
Repeatedly she was told to stop resisting but grabbed a woman officer around the neck and chest, inflicting scratches which bled.
A male officer was kicked in the groin which caused immediate pain and Brown was then handcuffed.
She was taken to a police vehicle and spat in the face of another officer.
