Christopher George Smolinski sentenced to up to eight years jail for gas bottle attack
A man will spend up to eight years in prison for throwing a flaming gas bottle at two police officers.
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A man who threw a flaming gas bottle at two police officers will spend up to eight years behind bars.
Christopher George Smolinski, 38, was sentenced to eight years and 10 months in jail, with a five year non-parole period, in the District Court on Monday.
Smolinski threw a 9kg gas bottle with a lit firework taped to it at two police officers at his Huntfield Heights home in March 2019.
Police attended his home after Smolinski threatened an off-duty police officer with a tomahawk while driving down Marion Road.
In sentencing, Judge Julie McIntyre said Smolinski had been experiencing mental health difficulties, suicidal thoughts and financial stress including “impending homelessness” ahead of the incident.
“It’s been put to me that your life was falling apart and it came to a head on this day,” she said.
“You snapped and saw police attendance at your home as an opportunity to have them kill you.”
One of the officers, Senior Constable Susan Cabot, tearfully told the court she believed Smolinski was trying to kill her and colleague Aleisha Westby when he threw the gas bottle at their patrol car.
Smolinski then retreated into his home and lit a fire in the entrance of the home before emerging from the home wearing body armour and yelling at the police to shoot him.
Police were able to tackle him to the ground and arrest him.
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In sentencing, Judge McIntyre said police showed extraordinary restraint in not shooting Smolinski after his “appalling actions”.
“You and they are very fortunate you were not shot that day,” she said.
Later searches of Smolinski’s car and home found a large amount of ammunition and weapons including nunchucks, samurai swords, daggers, guns and a cattle prod.
Smolinski watched on impassively as Judge McIntyre handed down the sentence, which was backdated to Smolinski’s arrest on March 30 last year.