Brandon Scott Lee Francis in court for spitting on police officer

A man has faced court for spitting in the face of a police officer after the cop “provocatively” slapped him twice during a dramatic arrest at a Sunshine Coast pub.

Brandon Scott Lee Francis leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A cop who slapped a man in the face twice during a dramatic pub arrest received a face full of spit by a drunken truck driver.

Brandon Scott Lee Francis, 29, pleaded guilty in Maroochydore District Court on February 26 to two counts of wilful damage, one of obstructing police in licensed premises and one of seriously assaulting a police officer by spitting whilst adversely affected.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks told the court police had located Francis at Beerwah Hotel and arrested him for unrelated matters on April 28, 2023.

The court heard Francis resisted police and attempted to pull away, ripping an officer’s watch and load bearing vest in the process, before he was taken to the ground.

Defence barrister Mark Dixon said he had reviewed body-worn camera footage and observed Francis had been slapped twice by one of the officers who said “thanks mate” immediately after he was cuffed.

Francis had said “you just slapped me in the face” and spat in the officer’s face.

Ms Marks said he was then punched in the head by another officer to “prevent him from spitting a second time”.

Tests later revealed Francis was intoxicated at the time.

She said the action of spitting was “disgusting, degrading and shows contempt before police”.

Brandon Scott Lee Francis leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Mr Dixon submitted to the court the spitting may not have occurred if not for the “gratuitous and provocative” nature of the slap.

The court heard Francis was recovering from a broken jaw after he was injured in a workplace incident in 2022 and had only recently been able to return to light duties at the time of the offence.

Mr Dixon said his client also offered $2000 in compensation to the officer in a letter of apology and had since participated in an anger management session.

The court heard Francis works as a truck driver and financially supports his current partner and step-child, with another on the way in coming months.

Francis had been in the “throes of a relationship breakdown” and had gone to the pub after he received news his former partner had entered another relationship.

Judge Glen Cash said he accepted the fact Francis was slapped by the officer.

He sentenced him to nine months of imprisonment wholly suspended for 12 months and ordered he completes 50 hours of community service.