Christopher James Parnaby, 19, sentenced for spitting on police at Ipswich Railway Station

A teenager who launched into a “vile” tirade against police at the Ipswich Railway Station was slammed into a police van after spitting on an officer’s face while being arrested.

An Ipswich teenager who launched a tirade of abuse against police at a train station called them “dogs” and “maggots” before spitting on the face of an officer.

Christopher James Parnaby, 19, appeared in Ipswich District Court on Wednesday to be dealt with for his “vile” behaviour last May.

The court heard a police officer on shift at the Ipswich Railway Station on May 7, 2020, recognised Parnaby and told another officer he had arrested the teen the day before for fare evasion and he had been abusive.

The officers asked Parnaby to produce his ticket and he held a ticket up in the air but refused to come closer to the police, stating he was “social distancing.”

One officer leaned over onto the platform and grabbed Parnaby while another approached him from behind and they arrested him.

The court heard Parnaby became agitated, yelling abuse and “flailing” about, calling the officers “maggots” and “dogs”.

Parnaby’s father approached the police while the teenager continued to be uncooperative and was handcuffed and taken to the outpost to be searched.

He argued and screamed abuse at the police before spitting on the floor outside the outpost, the court heard.

Parnaby called the officers “dogs” and “dog c----” and while being walked to a marked police car, he made a comment about dogs having “paws”.

Christopher James Parnaby pictured with police last year. Picture: Cordell Richardson

The court heard Parnaby stopped and stood on his toes facing an officer, and said the word “paws” exaggeratedly, causing spittle to land on the officer’s cheek and chin.

Defence barrister Cecilia Bernardin said the officers reacted by “slamming” Parnaby’s face into the side of the police van, as was shown to the court on a recording of the offending caught on body worn cameras.

Parnaby pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of serious assault of a police officer by biting or spitting and one charge each of obstruct police, public nuisance and spitting on a railway structure.

The court heard Parnaby had been in presentence custody for 280 days.

Ms Bernardin said Parnaby was under the influence of meth and marijuana on the day of the offence and was with his dad about to leave on a train together when the police saw him.

She said Parnaby complied with the direction to show his ticket and said throughout the incident the police called Parnaby names including “numnuts” and a “f---ing turd” before he was slammed into the police van after the spitting offence.

Parnaby was raised by a single father in Ipswich and Ms Bernardin said his time in custody had been a wake up call for the teenager, who used to work as a painter and wanted to resume work upon his release.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren said Parnaby had called the police officers “vile, disrespectful” names.

He said spitting at anyone was a degrading and offensive act, and to spit at police who were simply doing their sworn duty was “utterly disrespectful.”

“You have to grow up,” he told Parnaby.

Parnaby was convicted and not further punished on all charges, with convictions recorded.