Narrabeen A-grade rugby league coach Frank McKeen pleads guilty to assaulting cop in Hotel Steyne
A top-level rugby league coach from the northern beaches had to be tasered after he assaulted a police officer at a popular drinking spot in Manly.
Manly
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A leading rugby league coach has been convicted of assaulting and intimidating police after he violently objected to being searched by officers at a northern beaches pub.
Police needed a Taser to arrest Frank McKee, the current A-grade coach at the Narrabeen Sharks, at The Steyne in Manly.
McKee, 42, of Collaroy Plateau, who was an A-grade front rower, pleaded guilty to one count each of assault officer in execution of duty; intimidate police officers and; resist or hinder police officer in execution of duty.
Three other charges, including a second count of assaulting police and another count of resisting police, were withdrawn in Manly Local Court on Tuesday.
An agreed Statement of Facts tendered to court said McKee objected to being searched for prohibited drugs after police saw him, and another man, coming out of a toilet cubicle at The Steyne at about 9.30pm on November 30 last year.
Police said in the statement that officers told McKee and the other man that they would be searched because police believed they were using drugs in the bathroom.
The other man told police that he had three capsules of cocaine.
Police then advised McKee that he would be searched.
“At this time (McKee) has immediately walked up to Constable (X) in an aggressive manner and said ‘I don’t think so’.”
An officer then told McKee he would be arrested if he did not comply with the search, the statement said.
McKee then said: “If you touch me I will f***king smash you’.
Constable X then said: “No you won’t sir”.
McKee replied: “Yeah I will. If you touch me man, I will f***king smash you”.
An officer then told McKee that if he “did not have anything on him, it would only take two minutes” to search him.
“If you put your hands on me I will f***king knock you out.”
Police then called for backup and three more officers arrived at the pub.
While being searched police pulled back the rear part of McKee’s pants.
“The accused has immediately lashed out with force using his elbow, which made contact with a constable’s left arm,” the statement of facts said.
“Four police have attempted to grab him and take him to the ground.
The accused was still standing at this point and has gone backwards into the male bathroom.
“Police have activated a Taser as violent confrontation and resistance was occurring and to protect police from being overpowered.”
McKee’s solicitor Paul McGirr said his client apologised for his actions and that the police search, which exposed part of his buttocks, embarrassed him.
Mr McGirr said his client thought he could lawfully not agree to be searched.
“But that doesn't excuse his behaviour,” Mr McGirr said.
“Whether he thought (the search) was right or wrong, he should have complied with police requests.
“What was an enjoyable night turned into hell for him.”
Mr McGirr told the court that McKee was a “very big man”, but would not have carried through with the threats against police.
Police prosecutor Adrian Walsh told Magistrate Georgina Darcy that police were entitled to go about their duty without being assaulted or intimidated.
“There needs to be a message sent to the community that these matters can’t be tolerated,” Sgt Walsh said.
Ms Darcy told McKee, who she described as a person with a prior good character, that if he complied with the police search he “wouldn’t have been here today”.
She sentenced McKee, on the assault and intimidation charges, to a Community Correction Order to be of good behaviour for six months.
The charge of resist a police officer was dismissed.
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