Corey Harvey pleads guilty to assaulting police at Wyong but not to possessing cannabis
A disqualified driver who ploughed through a fence on a drug-fuelled bender before headbutting an off-duty officer who tried to arrest him in Wyong, was picked up again on drugs and needing “a cuddle”.
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A man picked up by police lying on the footpath screaming, crying and “insisting that he needed a cuddle” less than a fortnight after being granted bail for another drug-induced episode has pleaded guilty to resisting arrest.
However, he pleaded not guilty to possessing a bud of cannabis police allegedly found in his pocket.
Corey Harvey, 24, of Mardi, faced Wyong Local Court on Monday charged with two counts of resisting arrest and one count of possessing a small amount of cannabis.
His Legal Aid Solicitor entered guilty pleas to the resisting arrest charges but not guilty to the possession offence.
The court heard he had been released on bail on August 5 after pleading guilty to driving while disqualified, negligent driving, not stopping to give particulars after a crash, escaping police and assaulting police.
An agreed statement of police facts tendered to court state Harvey was at his girlfriend’s address on Warner Ave, Wyong, at 12.35am on July 18 having taken “an unknown amount of MDMA, acid and valium” earlier in the day.
The facts state he became erratic and rambling “I’m f...ing losing the plot” when he grabbed his girlfriend’s keys and took off in her car despite being a disqualified Learner driver.
He turned into Pollock Ave before driving down the driveway of a semirural property where he lost control and ploughed into a paddock “partially destroying” a fence.
He fled on foot and was walking along Pollock Ave trying to flag down oncoming cars.
“The accused jumped in front of a motor vehicle being driven by an off duty police officer,” the facts read.
The officer stopped and Harvey approached the window stating “I’ve just been jumped. I don’t want to call police. I can give you cash. I just want to go home”.
The officer asked for his name before telling Harvey he was an off-duty officer who could help.
However Harvey said “don’t worry” and began to walk off.
The officer called Wyong Police Station and was told they were looking for Harvey.
He drove up to where Harvey was, stopped in the middle of the road and showed Harvey his police badge and informed him he was under arrest.
Hearing this, Harvey fled on foot but the officer was able to catch him a short distance away and placed him on the ground.
“While being held on the ground, the accused headbutted (the officer) causing him pain to his forehead resulting in him losing his grip of the accused,” the facts state.
“The accused stood up and ran off into nearby bushland. Police then arrived and a search was conducted however the accused could not be located.”
Three days later Harvey handed himself in to Wyong Police Station where he made full admissions during a recorded interview.
“I know I f...ed up, that’s why I’m here,” he told police.
He pleaded guilty to the offences and was released on conditional bail that he commit no more offences and abstain from illicit drugs.
About 9pm on August 15 he was walking along Perouse Ave, at San Remo, with his girlfriend when he consumed MDMA and cannabis.
The facts state he became agitated and got involved in a fight with some males in the vicinity.
Fearful of his safety his girlfriend called police who arrived to find him lying on the footpath “beating the ground, screaming and crying, insisting that he needed a cuddle”.
“He appeared overwhelmed and out of control,” the facts read.
“Police noticed a strong smell of cannabis and informed the accused that he was going to be searched prior to entering the police vehicle,” the facts read.
He began to struggle with police who allegedly found “a small bud of cannabis in the front jeans pocket” of his pants.
He was taken to hospital and sedated before being arrested and charged the following day with two counts of resisting arrest and possessing cannabis.
He was refused bail at court on Monday and adjourned for a hearing on the possession offence on December 7.
He was listed for sentence on all the remaining offences, to which he pleaded guilty to, on the same date.