Hayley Kelly-Tipler in Coffs court pleads guilty to hindering police

A young woman’s lawyer said she was just being ‘protective of her friend’, as police struggled to make an arrest in relation to alleged assaults at The Coffs Hotel in April.

A young woman continued to hinder police, recording up close to their faces and name badges, even as their tussle to make arrests later spilled onto the Pacific Highway after a night out at The Coffs Hotel in April.

“This will be posted all over social media,” she said at one point, according to police documents tended to court and: “do not f***ing touch me, you do not have a right to touch me.”

Hayley Kelly-Tipler appeared in Coffs Harbour Local Court on Monday, June 6, where she pleaded guilty to a charge of resist or hinder police in execution of duty.

The charge relates to an incident on the night of April 8 when police responded to reports that several people had been assaulted by a woman at The Coffs Hotel between 11.30pm and midnight.

When police arrived to arrest the female in relation to the alleged assaults Kelly-Tipler was found seated on the steps with her, outside The Plantation Hotel - just a few doors down from The Coffs Hotel on the Pacific Highway.

Police documents outline that, as the events unfolded, Kelly-Tipler showed no regard for police or the simple, clear instructions she was repeatedly given.

According to police facts, as officers struggled to arrest the other woman who was ‘combative and refused to comply’, Kelly-Tipler began filming saying it would be posted on social media and at one point claiming “I work for the government”.

Kelly Tipler’s lawyer Todd Ritchie told the court on Monday that she was being protective of her friend but accepts police have a difficult job.

Officers told her they didn’t care about her filming but repeatedly asked her to “get back” as they struggled to arrest the other woman.

She continued to film police officers up close on their faces and focusing on their name badges and was warned that she was interfering as they continued to deal with the combative female who, according to police facts, attempted to lash out and kick them.

Police then had to take action against another man who had been hindering them throughout the arrest of the female.

Facts tendered to court state that officers then became involved in a violent scuffle which saw them thrown onto the Pacific Highway and Kelly-Tipler continued to record standing on the highway swearing at police and continuing to make threats to post the footage on social media.

She stood on the highway filming as police attempted to handcuff and arrest the violent male. Officers told her to get back to avoid being hit by oncoming traffic but, according to police facts she said: “I don’t really care to be honest”.

According to police facts tendered to court, when Kelly-Tipler was placed in the back of a caged police vehicle she continued to resist saying: “Do not f***ing touch me, you do not have a right to touch me”.

Since the night of the incident, she has been banned from all licensed premises within the Coffs Harbour Liquor Accord for two years.

Clubs, hotels, restaurants, RSL clubs, breweries, taverns, bottle shops and other licensed premises from across the region are members of the Accord which has been formed to reduce alcohol related harm.

The accord operates a ‘banned form one, banned from all’ register.

When she appeared before Magistrate Ian Rodgers on Monday she pleaded guilty to resisting or hindering police.

Her lawyer Mr Ritchie told the court she was extremely remorseful for her actions and was a person of otherwise good character, well on her way to achieving her goal of completing a diploma in community services.

Mr Ritchie said his client had a passion for helping others - particularly children in care - as she had been placed in care in the past when both parents were incarcerated.

Several references tendered to the court spoke of her reliable, hardworking nature and her bright future ahead.

Mr Rodgers did not record a conviction for the charge and placed her on a 12-month conditional release order.