Long arm of law catches up with police dog beater

It took 15 years, but a serial Byron Bay drug offender has finally been punished for belting a police dog and its handler with a plank of wood.

The long arm of the law has caught up with a man who belted a police dog and its handler with a piece of wood in 2005. File photo: Bill Hearne

The long arm of the law has finally caught up with a serial Byron Bay drug offender who attacked a police dog and its handler with a plank of wood in 2005.

Adam Christopher Berthun, 44, pleaded guilty to 25 drugs, graffiti, knife, breach of bail charges and serious assault of police charges, and also attempted killing of a police dog.

Richlands Magistrates Court heard Berthun was nabbed only after he was extradited from NSW to face unrelated charges, for which he is now in jail.

The court heard the Emerald-born labourer moved to Byron Bay to work in a nursery and start a new life after multiple cannabis arrests, sparking amusement from Magistrate Aaron Simpson.

“Did he visit Mullumbimby (a nearby town notorious for widespread cannabis use) as well?’’ Mr Simpson said.

The court heard Berthun stole a pair of sunglasses from the pocket of a drunk who had collapsed on Brunswick St in May, 2005.

Police spotted the alleged theft on a CitySafe CCTV camera and tracked down Berthun, who fled on foot and crawled under a building where popular bar and restaurant Alfred & Constance now stands.

Police prosecutor Shane Stephenson said Berthun picked up a piece of wood the size of a fence paling and hit the police dog on the head and muzzle and swung it at a police constable.

Police had to use the dog’s leash as a lasso to drag Berthun by the ankle from under the building.

His lawyer, Talea Boettcher, said her client had had long periods in NSW with no offending since the incident and had become estranged from his family following the unrelated charges.

Mr Simpson said it was a long-held principle of the courts that such attacks had to attract jail terms in order to help keep police safe.

He sentenced Berthun to a total of one month in jail for the drug and other minor offences, to be served concurrently with a six-month head sentence for the attacks on the police dog and constable.

But he took into account the 123 days Berthun had already served and ordered his immediate release.

Berthun is, however, still to serve several months in jail for the unrelated offences.