Cop biter Ryan Walters jailed for ice-fuelled attack on police in Dandenong
A Dandenong drug-addict has left traumatised police officers in his wake after a dramatic arrest where a cop car was repeatedly rammed and an officer was bitten and doused in pepper spray.
South East
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A Dandenong fraudster who repeatedly rammed a police car and bit a cop while high on ice has left four officers traumatised, suffering flashbacks and sleepless nights.
Ryan Walters, who has a shocking 242 criminal convictions, tried to mow down police officers during a dramatic arrest in April last year.
The County Court heard police went to an address in Kirkham Rd, Dandenong, about 12.45am and blocked the driveway to Walters’ property to prevent him escaping.
As officers approached on foot, Walters jumped behind the wheel of a Ford sedan bearing fake number plates and reversed into the two men, forcing them to take cover between parked cars on the street to avoid being mowed down.
Walters then ploughed his sedan into the unmarked cop car before again aiming his car at the officers and charging towards them, the court heard.
Walters rammed his Ford into the cop car another six times before it became wedged against the unmarked vehicle.
A detective was inside the car as it was being rammed.
Police shattered Walters’ car window and told him to stop the engine but he instead planted his foot, sending the car flying through a neighbour’s steel fence and crashing into the back of the house.
As he was being tackled to the ground, Walters sunk his teeth into an officer’s hand.
The officer struck Walters with a pepper spray canister in a bid to free his hand from the ice-fuelled thug’s jaw but the can exploded and doused the officer in the burning foam.
Walters eventually let go after another officer kicked him and he was arrested.
A search of the Ford revealed a small stash of methamphetamine in the foot well of the car, and stolen cosmetic items worth about $4520 in the boot.
Victim impact statement tendered to the court told how the police officers “feared for their lives” during the incident and have suffered sleepless nights, flashbacks and loss of appetite since.
The detective who had been inside the rammed car said his mental health had been severely impacted, while the bitten cop said he now suffered from anxiety.
Another officer said he was now often “jumpy and nervous” when dealing with the public in the course of his police duties.
The court heard Walters, who grew up in Maffra in regional Victoria, had started regularly binge drinking on weekends by age 13 and had started using cannabis and ecstasy and meth at about 17.
A psychologist’s report found Walters had got involved in several long-term relationships because he “didn’t like being alone” but had ended them all because “got sick of (the women) and moved on to something better”.
The report found Walters’ tendency to be “impulsive … and reckless probably alienated most of the people who were once close to him”.
He was also found to display signs of anti-social personality disorder, including being unreliable, irresponsible and egocentric “with little regard for others”.
Judge Chris Ryan said Walters’ lengthy criminal history — largely for theft, dishonesty and driving offences — showed his risk of reoffending was “very high indeed”.
“Your ice-fuelled offending was appalling and exhibited complete disregard for the safety of at least four members of Victoria Police,” he said.
“It is clear the officers have all been profoundly affected by your outrageous conduct.”
Walters was sentenced to five years’ jail and must serve at least three and a half before he will be eligible for parole.
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