Jai Rose Cook sentenced for biting police

A fashion label owner and author, who asked police to kill her, has faced court after she lodged herself in a stormwater drain and bit an officer.

A fashion label owner and mum-to-be has avoided time behind bars after her bizarre outburst saw her purposefully lodge herself in a stormwater drain and bite police after asking them to kill her.

Jai Rose Cook was sentenced to a nine-month suspended prison sentence on Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to five charges including seriously assaulting a police officer by biting in Noosaville on October 12, 2021.

The court heard a Noosaville florist had found Cook in her backyard with a suitcase on the morning of the offence and had provided her with food and a lift before the 29-year-old claimed she had a large knife in her bag.

Police prosecutor Nick Nitschke told the court police were attempting to talk to Cook when she became uncooperative and lodged her legs in a nearby stormwater drain.

A video played in court showed police struggling to arrest Cook who intentionally bent her legs and feet to remain in the drain.

Sergeant Nitschke said during the 10-minute struggle Cook pulled down her mask and bit one of the officers on the lower leg through his sock and pants.

He said the police officer was bleeding as a result of the “premeditated” bite and had to undergo disease testing.

The court heard Cook also scratched another officer.

Cook was heard yelling strange remarks during the video including that the handcuffs were electrocuting her.

She also demanded witnesses livestream her arrest and requested police to kill her.

Sergeant Nitschke suggested a 12-month prison sentence with Cook to serve four months was an appropriate punishment.

“The attack upon … (the officer) was callous, viscous and unprovoked,” he said.

“It was an attack on police just doing their duties …”

He said Cook hadn’t taken part in any rehabilitation for her drug or alcohol use and noted she wasn’t diagnosed with any mental illnesses.

Barrister Michael Copley described Cook as being highly emotional during the offence and said the now mother-to-be claimed she was not impacted by drugs at the time.

“Her behaviour towards police was because she was emotionally overwrought rather than any malice toward police,” he said.

Mr Copley said Cook, who had an “unhappy childhood”, said she swam to the florist’s riverside house to escape a domestic violent situation.

He said the Tuluna fashion label founder, personal development author and app creator had no relevant criminal history and posed little threat to the community.

The court heard Cook attributed a leg fracture found during her second doctor’s assessment to her “antics in the drain”.

Mr Copley said the injury was an ongoing reminder of the “stupidity and wrongfulness” of her behaviour.

He said while a report confirmed Cook was not suffering from any mental disorders she did have a tendency of morbid suspiciousness, over-estimating danger and general poor judgment.

“Many of those factors were apparent from watching how she interacted with police,” he said.

“She overreacted.”

He said Cook had written two apology letters, pleaded guilty and offered to pay $3000 in restitution.

He asked for a prison sentence to be suspended or coupled with an immediate parole release date.

Cook also pleaded guilty to three counts of obstructing police and possessing a knife in a public place.

Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin said he suspected Cook was “off her head” on cocaine at the time of the offences.

Mr McLaughlin said there was no other explanation as to why someone who was not psychotic would behave the way she did.

He said there was no need for Cook to behave in the way she did stating police simply wanted to speak with her and were very reasonable and patient while dealing with her “strange” behaviour.

He noted Cook didn’t inflict any further violence against the police and the force was “out of character”.

Mr McLaughlin suspended the nine-month prison sentence for two years and ordered Cook to pay $3000 in compensation to the biting victim.

Convictions were recorded.