Elanour Raynaud: Byron Bay woman jailed over police assault

A drunken Byron Bay farm worker who lashed out at police said she was “self-medicating” a broken arm. See what happened.

A Byron Bay farm worker who drunkenly lashed out at a police officer has been jailed for her actions.

Elanour Raynaud, 33, faced Byron Bay Local Court on Monday via videolink, pleading guilty to assaulting a police officer in the execution of duty and resisting arrest.

The court documents reveal Raynaud tried to punch a police sergeant twice, who had responded to several calls over Raynaud’s”zombie like” state in the middle of Bay St, before kicking his leg with her left leg after 7.45pm on March 22.

Raynaud then tried to wrestle and continue to fight while police were handcuffing her, telling them to “f*** off”.

Solicitor Amy Barker said body worn footage didn’t capture Raynaud lashing out her left leg but the offender accepted that may have occurred as she had been drinking.

“Obviously she couldn’t remember it and she wanted to see the body worn footage,” she said.

She said Raynaud accepted the actions were “out of line”.

Ms Barker said the sergeant aggressively told Raynaud to grab a white shirt which she had with her on the busy road.

“I’ve watched the footage and with all due respect to the police, the police approached her, in my submission, in quite an aggressive manner,” she said.

Ms Barker said the Byron Bay farm worker was a former methadone addict who had tried to “self-medicate” with alcohol to numb the pain of a broken arm.

“(She) had suspected a broken arm but given her previous addiction to opioids knew she couldn't go near painkillers,” she said.

Magistrate Karen Stafford said police had arrived on the scene after three members of the public called them with concerns about Raynaud’s “intoxicated and aggressive behaviour”.

“It is perhaps then not surprising police used direct language while dealing with you,” she said of Ms Barker’s claims of police aggression.

Magistrate Stafford noted Raynaud had a history of assaulting police, with terms of jail time for previous offending.

“There is a significant need to stop you from reoffending,” she said.

Raynaud was convicted on both counts and sentenced to a month jail term for the resist arrest charge and three months for assault the police officer.

She will be eligible for release on June 22.