Samuel Snelling-Brown: Batehaven man pleads guilty to punching police officer in head

When two police officers arrived at a Batehaven home following reports of a domestic incident, they were confronted by a man who threw a lit ciggie in one officers’ face then punched the other in the head.

Samuel Snelling-Brown punched the police officer in the head on the evening of July 6.

A man who punched a police officer in the head and threw his lit cigarette in the face of another has denied he resisted arrest, despite admitting he carried out the violent assault on the officers.

The incident saw Samuel Snelling-Brown, 24, wind up in Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday, charged with two counts of assault police officer in execution of duty and hinder or resist arrest.

While the Batehaven man pleaded guilty to both counts of assaulting the police officers, he pleaded not guilty to resisting arrest.

Documents tendered to the court reveal Snelling-Brown attacked the officers on the evening of July 6 at Batehaven, when the officers were responding to reports of a domestic related incident.

Snelling-Brown confronted the officers on arrival and following a verbal altercation, proceeded to throw his lit cigarette in the face of a senior constable.

Samuel Snelling-Brown left Batemans Bay Local Court with his matter adjourned.

After throwing the cigarette, Snelling-Brown turned to another senior constable, punching them in the head.

Police allege Snelling-Brown then resisted their arrest, causing them to use OC spray. Once the spray was allegedly used, Snelling-Brown fled the scene.

Later on in the night, officers found the 24-year-old hiding nearby and arrested him, took him to Batemans Bay Police Station and remanded him in custody.

Snelling-Brown was released on conditional bail four days later on July 10.

In court on Monday, Snelling-Brown’s lawyer Matilda Bogart asked if the matter could be adjourned to allow for a mental health check to be completed.

“The adjournment is on the basis that we need more time to formulate a treatment plan,” she said.

Magistrate Doug Dick did not oppose the suggestion, recommending Snelling-Brown’s matter be pushed back by four weeks.

Mr Dick then said the sentencing would likely be serious, given the actions of assaulting the police officer also breached a court order Snelling-Brown had been serving since 2022.

Snelling-Brown will return to Batemans Bay Local Court on October 23 for sentencing. A hearing date will also be set for the resist arrest charge on this occasion.