Damian Claude Randall pleads guilty in Grafton Local Court to assaulting police officer

A North Coast man has learned his fate after repeatedly kicking a police officer following a pursuit in the middle of Grafton.

Damian Claude Randall at Grafton Local Court.

A Grafton man who repeatedly kicked a police officer while in the depths of an ice addiction has been given another chance by a magistrate.

Damien Claude Randall, 31, faced Grafton Local Court on November 21, pleading guilty to one count each of resisting an officer in the execution of their duty, assaulting an officer and theft and dishonestly obtaining financial advantage.

About 9pm on February 1, a white Mazda pulled into the carpark of the Clocktower Hotel in Grafton’s CBD.

An unknown man, now known to be Randall, pulled the Mazda up next to a grey Toyota and took a black handbag from the vehicle’s open boot.

Randall took a wallet and its contents and a Samsung S21 mobile phone valued at $1180.

Damian Claude Randall at Grafton Local Court.

Randall then drove off in the white Mazda along Pound St, while the victim of the theft followed on foot.

Police attended a short time later and the incident was captured on CCTV.

The car used in Randall’s getaway was located at an address in Casino.

A resident initially denied any knowledge of the car and claimed there was no one else at the premises.

Police eventually convinced the resident to allow them to carry out a search.

Randall was found and missing credit cards were located on him.

He was placed under arrest and walked to the police vehicle, but jerked his body away from the arresting officers and tried to free himself.

Randall kicked out, striking the stomach of the officer three times.

In sentencing, Magistrate Kathy Crittenden slammed the “disgraceful” nature of Randall’s behaviour.

“Every day police officers in this state put their lives at risk, and your conduct on that day was disgraceful,” she said.

“I’d like you to think about that”.

Despite the seriousness of the offending, Ms Crittenden noted Randall’s significant personal development since the offending.

The 31-year-old made “an extraordinary effort” to deal with the “grip of an ice addiction”, the court heard.

“It is a drug that has the capacity to destroy people’s lives, and it is not an easy thing to do”, Ms Crittenden said.

Randall had secured full time employment for the first time in a significant period and made “significant” process overcoming ice addiction.

“You’ve reached a watershed moment – there is every reason to think that you have a bright future,” Ms Crittenden said.

Describing Randall’s recovery as an “ongoing road”, Ms Crittenden took into account time already spent in custody and the “really positive and significant progress since then”.

Randall was sentenced to a 12 month community correction order.