Belinda Irene Jocys Seymour sentenced for attacking a police officer

A Sunshine Coast police officer suffered months of turmoil after a mother and carer put her bloody finger in her mouth during a “vicious” attack.

A Sunshine Coast mother and carer has avoided a jail sentence after she put her blood-stained finger in an officer’s mouth during a “vicious” attack.

Belinda Irene Jocys Seymour was placed on two years’ probation in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday after she pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital on May 18.

Police prosecutor Nick Nitschke told the court Seymour had been detained in a hospital waiting area to be admitted to the mental health ward when she tried to walk away from officers.

“... (Seymour) swung a flurry of punches at the victim's head with clenched fists and open hands connecting multiple times with the victim’s face, head and neck,” Sergeant Nitschke said.

Sergeant Nitschke said the officer had reached for Seymour’s hand to stop her from walking away when the mother of one started the scuffle by pushing her.

He said Seymour continued struggling aggressively against the officer by punching and swinging her arms around.

At one point Seymour’s finger was put in the officer’s mouth.

“The victim recalls detecting the taste of blood in her mouth at the time of this offence (and) observed blood on the finger of the defendant,” Sergeant Nitchske said.

He said Seymour had small cuts on her right hand.

The court heard the officer underwent a test as a result of the altercation.

“The victim officer did undergo a disease test and did have a number of months of anxiety in respect to that, on top of physical injuries,” Sergeant Nitchske said.

The officer also suffered a laceration to her bottom lip and experienced pain and redness to her knee after she landed heavily on it.

Sergeant Nitchske said a prison sentence either suspended or with immediate parole would be a just punishment.

Duty lawyer Rachel Holland told the court the 32-year-old Sunshine Coast mother suffered from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ms Holland said she had endured traumatic experiences and was forced to live in her car before she moved to South Australia to receive medical help and support from family.

She said the carer had moved back to the region and would benefit from some supervision in the community.

She suggested probation as an appropriate punishment.

Ms Holland asked for no conviction to be recorded against Seymour who needed a Blue Card to continue her employment.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist suggested Ms Holland had asked for a probation order so Seymour could avoid a conviction.

She disagreed, saying she believed the mother genuinely needed the help.

Mr Stjernqvist said he didn’t believe a probation order reflected the seriousness of the offending, but feared he would be criticised if he did not give the woman an opportunity at rehabilitation.

“To repay the care that the police officer was extending to you is that you turned around and quite viciously assaulted the police officer...,” he said.

Mr Stjernqvist said Seymour’s past suffering did not excuse her behaviour and ordered her to pay $600 in compensation to the officer.

A conviction was not recorded.