Mortdale’s Hayden Parkinson sentenced for assaulting, intimidating police

A highly intoxicated father-of-two was thrown out of an Uber before he assaulted an off-duty-police officer who was trying to prevent him from getting struck on a busy road, a court has heard.

Hayden Parkinson was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A highly intoxicated father-of-two launched an abusive tirade at an Uber driver before he assaulted an off-duty police officer trying to prevent him from getting struck by a car.

A court has heard Hayden George Parkinson, 31, then threatened to shoot officers and made racial slurs at Kogarah police station.

Parkinson was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and two counts of intimidating police officers.

Agreed facts said Parkinson was in an Uber travelling from Jannali to his Mortdale home on July 21 last year where he was repeatedly told not to light a cigarette.

Parkinson argued with the driver, telling him to “shut up” and take him home.

Hayden Parkinson was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court.

The driver, who felt unsafe, asked Parkinson to get out along King Georges Rd, but Parkinson continued arguing.

An off-duty police officer exited his house after hearing the confrontation before Parkinson went through the man’s gate

The man told Parkinson he was a police officer and to get off his property, which he did and walked back onto the footpath, documents said.

Parkinson continued yelling abuse at the driver and the officer told Parkinson to stop and leave, fearing there would be a physical confrontation.

Parkinson walked onto the road so the officer grabbed his jumper sleeve, fearing for his safety due to his level of intoxication.

Court documents state Parkinson then swung his right hand at the officer, striking him on the forearm as he was pulled off the road.

The officer feared another assault so he restrained him, causing a slight graze on his elbow and knee, until other police arrived.

Parkinson was taken to Kogarah police station and placed in a cell where he banged and kicked the door demanding to go to the toilet.

When an officer walked past, Parkinson said, “what do you feel if I point a 12 gauge shotgun at your head on the street?”, documents said.

Parkinson continued to headbutt, punch, hit and kick the cell door so he was placed in another cell before he told another officer, “I’m going to get a 12 gauge shotgun and shoot you,” and “I’m going to poison you”.

Parkinson also made racial slurs towards officers.

The court heard Parkinson had been sentenced three weeks prior for another incident involving police officers.

Parkinson’s lawyer Wayne Pasterfield said his client’s grandfather had passed away shortly before the July incident and had “developed a massive problem with alcohol”.

Mr Pasterfield conceded Parkinson’s behaviour was “appalling and unacceptable”, adding that when he drank to excess he became a different person who had no recollection of his behaviour and felt “almost sick” learning how he acted.

Mr Pasterfield said Parkinson was not supported by community corrections for his previous offence but his client had found his own alcohol rehabilitation program which he began in August.

The court heard Parkinson had not touched alcohol for six months.

Mr Pasterfield said he was employed, now living with his wife and children at his parents’ Barden Ridge granny flat for support and was on medication that took his desire away to drink alcohol.

Magistrate Philip Stewart took into account Parkinson’s rehabilitation and encouraged him to continue with it.

Parkinson was placed on a 12-month community correction order where he must abstain from alcohol, complete 100 hours of community service and was fined $750.