Jessica May Emmerson: Toowoomba woman punches, kicks cop to ‘protect boyfriend’

A young woman has appeared in an Ipswich court which heard she punched and kicked a police officer in a futile attempt to protect her boyfriend from being arrested.

A young woman who assaulted two police officers did so in a futile attempt to help her boyfriend avoid arrest, a court has heard.

Jessica May Emmerson, 20, appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday June 6, where she pleaded guilty to five charges: two counts of obstructing police, two counts of assaulting police, and one count of wilful damage.

The court heard all five offences related to a single incident which occurred on February 1 this year.

Prosecutor Jonathon Waddington said police were called to a traffic crash at Kearneys Spring about 8.30pm, where they arrived to find a dispute had broken out between the drivers.

One man on scene, Emmerson’s boyfriend, appeared to be “agitated”, the court was told.

Mr Waddington said the man was arrested in relation to some criminal traffic matters which sparked an adverse reaction in the Toowoomba woman.

She attempted to push past the two arresting officers and was arrested for obstruction.

“Upon being obliged she was under arrest, she struck (one officer) in the chest twice with her fist,” Mr Waddington said.

“While being placed in handcuffs, the defendant has then kicked out to the rear of both the arresting officers, striking each in the leg.”

The court heard Emmerson also broke a torch which was on a police officer’s person during the assault. It was unable to be repaired.

Emmerson was detained in the Toowoomba watch-house for three hours, where Mr Waddington said she was “extremely remorseful and apologetic” to the arresting officers.

Defence lawyer Nick Crawford told the court his client was a hard worker and had completed Year 12 as well as a Certificate III in hospitality.

The court heard she spent the past year working as a raceworker at a racetrack and was looking to pursue employment as an apprentice jockey.

On the evening in question, Mr Crawford said Emmerson’s boyfriend was driving home when the accident occurred not far from her house. He called her and she became involved.

Mr Crawford said Emmerson underwent keyhole surgery just weeks before the incident and had significant stomach pains which caused her to “lash out further” at police.

Magistrate David Shepherd said he had taken into account several features in the offending when deciding an appropriate penalty, including that she pleaded guilty at an “early stage”, she was young, and she had not been before a court prior to Monday.

“Police officers are there to do a job,” Mr Shepherd told Emmerson.

“It’s hard enough, they don’t need people interfering with that. They certainly don’t need people assaulting them in any way.”

He urged Emmerson to “think first and react later” before releasing her on a $500 recognisance to be of good behaviour for six months.

No conviction was recorded.