Tanisha Michelle Van Netten: Young mum charged for resisting police

A young mum who panicked when police charged through her house has learnt her fate.

A young mum who spiralled into a panic attack when police charged through her house as she cared for her five-month-old daughter has avoided conviction.

South Lismore woman Tanisha Michelle Van Netten, 21, faced Lismore Local Court on Monday for one count of resisting an officer in the execution of duty.

Solicitor Zoe Hunter told the court Van Netten was home alone with her daughter when she heard cars arriving, loud banging on her fence and someone yelling “we’re going to kick in your door” about 8.40am on November 16.

Confronted by police searching the house, Van Netten asked them what they were doing and started having a panic attack in her increased “state of anxiety”, Ms Hunter said.

According to court facts, Van Netten refused to open a locked front gate and officers came through a side gate.

Ms Hunter said there were a number of uniformed and plain-clothed officers who came through.

She told the court her client believed she had only put a hand on a senior constable’s shoulder and was quite shocked to see police alleged she had wrapped her arms around his waist.

She noted it was a plea of convenience as her client did not have the “mental stability” to stand a hearing.

Van Netten was clearly emotional as the facts of the charge were read out in court.

Ms Hunter noted her client had gone through a turbulent upbringing which featured homelessness and a pattern of drug abuse but had since significantly turned her life around.

Magistrate Michael Dakin said it could be inferred Van Netten grabbed the officer to stop him going in a room with a grow tent and small hydroponic set up, presumably for cannabis cultivation.

The court heard Van Netten had said ‘there’s nothing in there, I don’t know what’s in there, You can’t go in there’.

Magistrate Dakin noted there were no charges of that kind against Van Netten.

“There is no suggestion she was involved in any wrongdoing,” he said.

Mr Dakin sentenced Van Netten to a 12-month conditional release order.

She was not convicted.