Taylah Masso spat in Gladstone cop’s face, bashed woman with paling

A Central Queensland mother who spat in a police officer’s face also bashed a woman with a fence paling, hitting her in the head with it three times.

Taylah Le Masso faced Gladstone Magistrates Court on January 24.

A Central Queensland mother who spat in a police officer’s face and bashed a woman with a fence paling, has been sentenced in court.

Taylah Le Masso, 31, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on January 24 to numerous charges, including two counts of seriously assaulting police by biting or spitting, assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, wilful damage of police property, stealing and disqualified driving.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Ongheen submitted the head sentence should be attached to the serious assault of two police officers by biting or spitting offences.

Sergeant Ongheen said as both police officers placed Masso in a pod at Gladstone, she turned around and spat “a mouthful of saliva and spittle” directly in the face of a senior constable.

“Which has landed on his face and in his mouth,” Sgt Ongheen said.

The prosecutor said spittle had also landed on the left arm of a constable.

Sergeant Ongheen said the assaults of the two police officers were “disgusting and despicable.”

Taylah Le Masso.

The court heard that Masso went on to damage the police holding cell at Gladstone Watchhouse by spitting over two doors, rendering it inoperable.

The court was told the AOBH while armed offence involved Masso, on Gladstone’s Auckland Street, hitting the female victim in the head three times with a wooden fence paling.

The victim suffered head lacerations and bruising.

“The victim was also struck in the shoulders, arms and back with a paling that subsequently broke,” Sgt Ongheen said.

The court heard that Masso had a seven-page criminal history (mostly property offending) and a three-page traffic history.

Solicitor Rio Ramos said Masso, a mother, had been using methamphetamine at the time of the offending and she was “significantly embarrassed” about her actions.

Ms Ramos also said when the offences happened, Masso had stopped taking her medication.

The court heard that Masso had engaged with Lives Lived Well (drug and alcohol rehab) and Ms Ramos said her client was a different person now.

Magistrate Mary Buchanan sentenced Masso to 15 months’ jail with a parole release date of May 24, 2024.

She also disqualified Masso from driving for two years.

Convictions were recorded.