Police officer assaulted in struggle over firearm

A court has heard police were attempting to arrest a man in breach of an AVO at Ramornie when the 31-year-old began to resist arrest and grabbed hold of an officer’s gun during the struggle

A Palmers Channel man has been convicted of a number of offences, including resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer in execution of duty.

After he was discovered in breach of an AVO, a 31-year-old Palmers Channel man attempted to grab hold of a police officer's firearm while he was being arrested, a court has heard.

Glen Anderson appeared in Grafton Local Court last week where he was sentenced for a number of charges, including contravening a prohibition/restriction in an AVO, resisting an officer in execution of duty, assaulting an officer in execution of duty and destroy/damage property (value less than $2000).

According to court documents Anderson and his ex-partner had been in an on-and-off relationship which ended in January 2020 and resulted in an AVO taken out against Anderson.

The agreed facts state that about 9.50am April 13 last year Anderson was at Ramornie where the victim was staying with a friend when triple-0 received a phone call, before the call was terminated. The court heard the operator called back and the friend answered, telling the operator there was no emergency, but the operator could hear the accused and the victim arguing in the background.

The court heard that about 1.40pm police attended and spoke to the victim, who advised police of the existence of the AVO. Anderson was in the process of being arrested and taken from the area when he began to resist, and grabbed hold of the officer's firearm during a struggle.

A second officer attempted to help bring Anderson under control, and Anderson continued to struggle and break out of the restraint of the officers.

During the arrest Anderson damaged one of the officer's radios before he was finally brought under control and handcuffed.

Magistrate Jeff Linden convicted Anderson and sentenced him to a nine month intensive correction order. The offender is to abstain from drugs for the period of the Intensive Correction Order.

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