Court hears Raina Cruise allegedly told female police officer ‘I will smash you one-on-one, b*tch’

Photos and video reveal the appalling injuries sustained by a police officer after an anti-vax political candidate tore the hair from her scalp.

An “argumentative, belligerent, obnoxious and frankly dangerous” anti-vax political candidate told an SA Police officer “I will smash you one-on-one, b*tch” as she pulled clumps of hair from her scalp in a brawl, a court has heard.

Raina Jane Cruise stood trial in the District Court on Tuesday – two years to the day after she allegedly assaulted Constable Anthea Beck in the course of her duty on Rundle St.

Prosecutors told the court Ms Cruise waved her hands in front of police and said “obey me”, and compared them to “Nazi Germany”, before “latching on” to Constable Beck and harming her.

Defence counsel, however, said Constable Beck did not say she was arresting Ms Cruise when she grabbed her arm – meaning she was acting unlawfully and had committed assault.

They said her actions, though “rude and obnoxious”, were a perfectly legal attempt to “free herself” from false imprisonment.

Ms Cruise pleaded not guilty to multiple aggravated assault charges. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Constable Anthea Beck’s injuries sustained in the attack.

Ms Cruise, 39, had pleaded not guilty to three aggravated counts of assault and one count of intentionally causing harm to a prescribed emergency worker.

The charges arise from an alleged incident inside and outside the Exeter Hotel in October 2021, after Ms Cruise’s unsuccessful bid for the federal Senate as an anti-vax candidate.

Running as the Informed Medical Opinions Party, the mother of three said she wanted “to be a public voice and to make some positive changes that reflect” her personal values.

She also posted photos of herself wearing Covid masks as underwear.

On Tuesday, Ms Cruise pleaded guilty to the aggravated counts of having assaulted the Exeter Hotel’s security guards earlier that evening.

However, she maintained she was not guilty of any offence involving Constable Beck.

An image from Ms Cruise’s social media account, showing her wearing Covid masks as a bra.

Another image from Ms Cruise’s social media account.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Greg Dudzinski said Constable Beck and her partner spoke with Ms Cruise and her two friends after the assaults upon the security guards.

“Instantly, there was aggression and there was resistance … the group was argumentative, belligerent, obnoxious and, frankly, dangerous,” he said.

“Ms Cruise patronised the officers, waving her hands in front of them saying ‘obey me’ … she appears to be mocking them, saying they’re ‘like Nazi Germany’.”

He said Ms Cruise became “infuriated” when Constable Beck asked for their ID and, when the officer restrained her, “swung” and caused injury to her face.

“Ms Cruise latched on to Constable Beck’s hair, dropped her weight, pulled her to the ground and did not let go,” he said.

“She pulled actual clumps of hair from the scalp of Constable Beck and continued to strike her whenever she could … she said ‘I will smash you one-on-one, b*tch’.”

Police officer Anthea Beck. Picture: Keryn Stevens

He said being arrested did not change Ms Cruise’s demeanour “one iota”, and she “continued with her aggression”.

Andrew Graham, for Ms Cruise, said there was no debate his client had acted “in an obnoxious and rude manner” but rejected Mr Dudzinski’s “theatrical description” of the incident.

He said Ms Cruise was not legally required to provide her ID “in the circumstances” of the incident and said Constable Beck never announced his client was under arrest.

“Constable Beck was not in the course of her lawful duties when she grabbed Ms Cruise (so) that amounts to an assault (and) she would be liable for false imprisonment,” he said.

“People are allowed to use reasonable force to free themselves from unlawful imprisonment.”

Giving evidence, Constable Beck said she felt she was “fighting for my life” when Ms Cruise attacked her, tearing away “a 50 cent piece” sized area of her scalp.

She said Ms Cruise and her friends had been “argumentative” and “quite hostile” from the moment they “stepped toward” her and her partner.

“She was swaying, rambling … when she spoke, spit came out of her mouth … she smelled like she had been drinking all day,” she said.

“She was especially rambling about Nazi Germany … every time I tried to speak, I was cut off … they were just spewing a verbal tirade over me.

“(At this point) I’m concerned, I’m expecting I’m about to be assaulted and I’m hoping that back-up is on its way.”

Former federal Senate candidate Raina Jane Cruise leaves court today. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Constable Beck said Ms Cruise struck her with her hand, scratching her with her rings, before “grabbing a handful of hair” and “dropping her weight” to take them both to the ground.

“She’s heavy … all I can scream is ‘let go’ … she rolls me over, straddles me sat on my chest, uses one hand to jerk my head back and forward and the other to slap and strike me,” she said.

She said she tried to use her OC spray but it had no effect on Ms Cruise – but blinded Constable Beck.

As soon as Ms Cruise let go of her hair, she said, she rolled then back over and tried to stand up – Ms Cruise then kicked her.

“It was only two minutes but it felt like it kept happening … I’m fighting for my life here,” she said.

She said it took her, her partner and an Exeter security guard to restrain Ms Cruise, who “fought and struggled all the way”. The trial, before Judge Joanne Deuter and in the absence of a jury, continues.

In cross-examination, Mr Graham asked Constable Beck why she had not used the words “you’re under arrest” – she replied “I attempted to”.

“Unfortunately, her reaction to my touching her was so immediate, intense and violent that I didn’t have the opportunity,” she said.

“I said ‘all right’, I got two syllables out and then it was fighting … I should have said ‘you’re under arrest’ but I only would have got out the word ‘you’re’ before the same thing happened.”

Asked for comment outside court, Ms Cruise replied: “Beware the poison needle”.