Grant Stevens questions sentence given to Raina Jane Cruise after her scalping assault on Constable Anthea Beck

In an unprecedented move, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has questioned the court’s sentence handed down to Raina Jane Cruise over her assault on Constable Anthea Beck.

SA’s top cop has expressed his concern over police’s sense of security after a District Court judge allowed a woman to avoid jail time following her “vile assault” on an officer.

In an unprecedented move, South Australia’s Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has revealed to be at a total loss over the outcome for the Raina Jane Cruise matter.

Cruise was found guilty at trial of intentionally causing harm to Constable Anthea Beck by scalping her and kicking her on October 17, 2021. Constable Beck was pregnant at the time.

Cruise had also assaulted two security officers at Exeter Hotel prior to attacking the officer.

Although the District Court had deemed Cruise’s crimes inexcusable and worthy of a three-year and eight month sentence – it was ultimately suspended to allow her to seek mental health help instead.

Raina Jane Cruise appears at Adelaide court for her assault upon a pregnant police officer. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt,

Injuries sustained by SA Police Constable Anthea Beck, allegedly inflicted by Raina Jane Cruise. Picture: District Court registry

Mr Stevens said he was “very concerned about the message” the Cruise verdict sends to police officers about the ‘level of protection they can expect from the courts’, as well as ‘it’s inability to act like a deterrent.’

“I’m at a loss to understand the outcome for the Raina Cruise matter,” he said.

“I think it’s fair to say that the vast majority of South Australian police officers … are questioning just how much protection police officers have from the justice system when we see outcomes like this from what is clearly a violent, sustained, aggressive, vile assault.

“Police officers go out every single day, voluntarily putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the community – and I think they have the right to expect that people who have a complete disregard for their safety will suffer consequences.

“And I don’t see any consequences arising from the outcome of the Raina Cruise matter.”

This comes after Acting Police Commissioner Linda Williams had asked the police prosecution team to examine the sentencing remarks and initiate discussion with the Department of Public Prosecutions “with a view of appealing it” last week.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens at a press conference outside 5AA building. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Mr Stevens clarified that he wasn’t passing judgement on the sentence, instead, his issue was with the decision to suspend the sentence which effectively allowed Cruise to walk away “scot-free”.

“I’m not suggesting that this is a situation that would warrant the application of the maximum penalty for assaulting a prescribed emergency service worker,” he said. “The maximum penalty for that offence is 15 years.

“I’m not making any comment in relation to the sentence that was applied but suspended.

“My question is whether the suspension is appropriate and what message that sends because in the mind of many people who commit these sorts of offences, a suspended sentence, is walking away scot-free.

In the end, Mr Stevens said he didn’t believe that being under the influence of illicit substances should be an excuse for wrongdoing.

“People should be held accountable for their behaviour regardless of the circumstances,” he said.

Originally published as Grant Stevens questions sentence given to Raina Jane Cruise after her scalping assault on Constable Anthea Beck