Anti-vaxxer Raina Jane Cruise given suspended jail term for scalping police officer, attacking Rundle St security guards

This woman scalped a pregnant police officer on Rundle St, while fuelled by alcohol, anti-vax beliefs and rage – now a judge says jail isn’t the right place for her.

Full of alcohol and anti-vaccine sentiment, wannabe political candidate Raina Jane Cruise attacked three people while consumed by rage.

Her first victims were two hotel security guards – one of whom she punched in the windpipe – and her third was a pregnant police officer, whom she scalped.

On Wednesday, Cruise stared straight ahead from the dock as the District Court deemed her crimes inexcusable and worthy of a three-year, eight-month sentence.

Her resolve broke, however, and she wept when Judge Joanne Deuter said she was prepared to suspend that sentence – so Cruise could get the mental health help she needs.

Judge Deuter said Cruise had lived through the deaths of her brother, best friend, husband, mother and infant son – the latter of which directly informed her crime.

“Your son died at two months’ old in 2003 from SIDS, 14 hours after he had received routine vaccinations,” she said.

Raina Jane Cruise outsisde court on Wednesday. Picture: Roy Vander Vegt

“Ever since, you have had a mistrust of vaccines, believing they were the cause of his death, and remain steadfast in that view … you became a crusader.

“A psychologist says those beliefs are not amenable to rational persuasion and are really a manifestation of a complex bereavement disorder.

“I am not here to judge your beliefs … in my view, your rehabilitation and progress in society would not be best served in prison … I find good reason to suspend your sentence.”

Raina Jane Cruise. Picture: Keryn Stevens

SA Police officer Anthea Beck. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Cruise, 39, was found guilty at trial of intentionally causing harm to Constable Beck on October 17, 2021 near the Exeter Hotel on Rundle St.

She also pleaded guilty to assaulting two of the venue’s security officers immediately prior.

The court heard an “argumentative, belligerent, obnoxious and frankly dangerous” Cruise told Constable Beck to “obey me” and compared her to “Nazi Germany”.

She then “latched” on to the officer’s head, saying “I will smash you one-on-one, b***h”, and tore a section of hair and skin from her scalp before being pried loose and arrested.

In her victim impact statement, Constable Beck said she later learned she had been pregnant at the time – telling Cruise “when you kicked me, you kicked my baby”.

Cruise received a three-year suspended jail sentence. Picture: Roy Vander Vegt

Cruise tore hair and skin from Constable Beck’s scalp. Picture: District Court registry

Constable Beck was pregnant at the time of the attack. Picture: District Court registry

In sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Deuter said Cruise had a history of prior assaults and resisting arrest which, a psychologist found, likely resulted from her unresolved grief.

That issue, she said, in no way excused Cruise’s behaviour, nor lessened its seriousness, as security guards and emergency services workers “should never be attacked for doing their jobs”.

“This was a violent attempt to escape arrest … there is video footage of you acting in what appears to be a fit of rage,” she said.

“You told the psychologist you’re sorry Constable Beck was harmed … this demonstrates some remorse for your actions, even if it has come late in the process.”

She suspended Cruise’s sentence on condition of a supervised three-year, $1000 good behaviour bond, and ordered she perform 100 hours of community service.

Outside court, Cruise said she did not consider the case finalised.

“I appreciate the judge’s clemency today, although I don’t necessarily agree with her verdict and we are certainly considering an appeal,” she said.