Catherine Ward sentenced at Gladstone for assaulting police
After police turned up at a Central Queensland home looking for a wanted person, a woman who’d done nothing wrong got in their way and launched a shocking attack on them.
Police & Courts
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A Central Queensland woman who “clawed at” a female police officer’s face and spat in her eye, has avoided a prison sentence.
Catherine Rosemary Ward, 39, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to obstructing police and assaulting police.
The court heard that on March 18, police went to a Clinton house looking for a wanted person believed to be inside.
“They (police) weren’t there to actually see (Ward) - they weren’t there to do anything to (Ward),” police prosecutor Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins said.
“When they (police) arrived at that residence, they were incredibly polite and incredibly personable - they gave her (Ward) every opportunity.
“The police officer said ‘I can work with you’ - that still didn’t cause (Ward) to co-operate.”
Sgt Hoskins said Ward then tried to close the door on police.
“And then (she’s) clawed at (a female constable’s) face and thrown a punch, causing (the officer’s) nose to bleed.
“And she spat in the (police officer’s) eye.”
The court heard that Ward had no Queensland criminal history.
Solicitor Stephen White said Ward was currently doing a Certificate III in Community Services and she was also undertaking a positive lifestyle program with The Salvation Army.
Mr White tendered references for Ward and said she suffered from epilepsy and depression.
Prior to imposing penalty, Magistrate Mary Buchanan took into account that Ward did a lot of community volunteering.
Ms Buchanan said imprisonment was “certainly in range” for this type of offending but she accepted what Ward had done was out of character.
She placed Ward on 18 months’ probation, ordered she pay $700 compensation to the police officer, and a conviction was recorded.
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