Samita Sebastian Langi sentenced for assaulting police officer after brawl at The Rocks

A Western Sydney man pushed a cop to the ground in the Sydney CBD while he was arresting his mate. Here’s what happened in court.

Samita Langi outside Downing Centre Court House.

A Western Sydney man pushed a cop to the ground while he was arresting a man who had been involved in a “chaotic brawl” in the CBD.

Samita Sebastian Langi, from Shalvey, faced Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday. He was found guilty of assaulting a police officer, without causing actual bodily harm and possessing a prohibited drug.

Police prosecutor Ferne Taylor told the court a brawl had broken out at The Rocks about 10.30pm on March 30 last year which involved 10 people throwing punches.

Langi was not involved in the brawl, the court heard.

While the 24-year-old was not a part of the melee, Langi knew some people involved, Ms Taylor said.

The court heard Langi pushed an officer to the ground when he was arresting a man who had been a part of the brawl.

Ms Taylor said Langi was intoxicated and had not seen what led to the man’s arrest.

“The defendant was acting out of anger from the way police were dealing with the guy,” she said.

Langi pushed a police officer who was arrested someone involved in the brawl. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Langi took to the stand to give evidence and said he could hear the man saying he could not breathe and watched an officer knee him in the back.

The offender said he pushed the officer before being sprayed with capsicum spray.

He added the cocaine was not his and suggested it may have been placed in his wallet during a bucks party which he had attended a year and a half ago.

Langi’s defence lawyer Mickaela Mate said that night there was “a lot of screaming and mayhem” happening and police did not handle the situation.

“He had been defending another person,” she said.

Magistrate Scott Nash said the man who was arrested only began having breathing difficulties after Langi pushed the officer.

“The man was screeching and coughing. I accept he was in pain, but had oxygen,” he said.

Mr Nash said in a “chaotic brawl” officers used stern but not unreasonable force to get rid of the threat and Langi harboured some anger with the officer holding the man.

“That push made the officer’s job more difficult and served to undermine their ability. The offender’s conduct was not a reasonable response, even if he believed it was necessary to help the man,” he said.

“This was a situation when the accused should have let the officers do their job, even if he was concerned.”

Ms Mate said Langi has no criminal record and is unlikely to reoffend.

Mr Nash sentenced Langi to a 12-month community release order, without a conviction.

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