Sheldon Ashley Stewart sentenced after assaulting off-duty police officer at Evans Head, near Ballina

A labourer has been sentenced after he confronted an off-duty police officer in tourist haven Evans Head, screaming allegations: “You took my caravan and you f**ked my wife”.

Ballina Courthouse. Picture: Savannah Pocock.

A Lismore area labourer has avoided jail after assaulting an off-duty police officer at Evans Head in a fit of jealousy, accusing the man of taking his caravan and sleeping with his wife.

In February, Sheldon Ashley Stewart, 50, pleaded guilty to common assault and intimidation at Ballina Local Court.

The victim warned Stewart he was a North Coast police officer. Pictured is Ballina Police Station. Picture: Savannah Pocock

The Buckendoon man has since been sentenced following the incident on December 12.

The off-duty officer was driving a Mitsubishi Pajero along Oak St, Evans Head, near Ballina, when Stewart began tailgating him.

Stewart “manoeuvred his car around the victim’s car boxing him into the kerb preventing him from driving forward”, court documents revealed.

The court was told Stewart struck the victim in the shoulder.

He hopped out, walked up to the officer and exclaimed: “F--k you … you took my caravan and you f--ked my wife. I’m going to kill you.”

Stewart hit the officer in the shoulder, causing pain, and held the Pajero’s door shut to stop the victim exiting.

“Don’t get out of the car, stay in the f--king car,” Stewart ordered, according to the documents.

Oak St, Evans Head.

The officer managed to get out and warned: “I am still a serving police officer.”

He told Stewart “just go away, f--k off” and again warned he was “still a cop”.

Stewart threatened he would “get” the man and took off in his car, veering around a truck and on to the wrong side of the road.

Magistrate Karen Stafford convicted Stewart and he was ordered to serve a one-year community correction order.