Ebony De Vries: Pakenham mum attacked, spat at police in drunken blow-up
A drunk Pakenham mum who attacked a couple claims a police officer went all “Bruce Willis” on her during her arrest.
South East
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A drunken Pakenham mum who spat at and tried to bite police during a wild outburst has avoided a lengthy jail term.
Ebony De Vries, 34, walked from the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday after completing her month-long sentence over the explosive attack on November 10.
The court heard De Vries’ tirade started just after 3.30pm when she phoned a male acquaintance up to 13 times, accusing the man and his girlfriend of targeting her in a tax scam.
The man was completing school pick up at the time and his children could hear De Vries screaming on the line, the prosecution said.
The victim stopped answering the phone but De Vries rocked up to the couple’s Pakenham property about an hour later where two of their children were playing in the front yard.
De Vries kicked and banged the door and shouted abuse at the couple, the court heard.
A scuffle broke out between De Vries and the man before De Vries tried to drag man’s partner out of the house before throwing punches and spitting at her.
The couple managed to push De Vries out of the entrance and the woman phoned 000 as De Vries continued to thrash on the door.
De Vries continued her disgusting behaviour when police arrived, spitting at them and attempting to bite one officer in a heated wrestle before she was overpowered.
The mother of two was too intoxicated to be interviewed at Dandenong police station but told officers the next day she had been involved in a “bit of a tiff” before she was arrested.
“(Then) one of your officers thought he was Bruce Willis putting his knee on my head so I tried to bite him to get him off,” she said.
The court was told the couple had not scammed De Vries.
De Vries’ lawyer said her client, who struggles with alcohol addiction, was “unstable” at the time of the attack but was focused on her rehabilitation.
De Vries completed two courses in custody, the court heard.
“She hasn’t had anything to drink since the incident,” the defence said.
Magistrate Ross Maxted said De Vries’ actions were unacceptable.
“That sort of behaviour cannot go in a civilised society,” he said.
“You are accountable for your actions with alcohol or no alcohol.”
De Vries, who spent 30 days in custody, pleaded guilty to intentionally damage property, unlawful assault and assault emergency worker on duty.
Mr Maxted jailed De Vries for 30 days, reckoned as time served.