Policewomen hurt after drunk Mornington Peninsula man launches wild attempt to avoid arrest
Two female police officers were hurt when a drunk launched at them during a violent attempt to avoid arrest. But the man’s lawyer said his client has a troubling habit which led to the outburst.
South East
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A drunken Tyabb man kicked a female police officer and left another bloodied and bruised during a booze-fuelled attempt to avoid arrest, a court has heard.
And Craig Morgan told police he was too intoxicated to remember the whole ordeal where he shoved the officer onto a bed before kicking her, and split an officer’s eyebrow open with a flying handcuff as she tried to apprehend him.
The Frankston Magistrates’ Court heard the two officers were called to a Tyabb address on May 5 where Morgan showed up after a day of heavy drinking.
But when officers told Morgan to back away due to coronavirus concerns after he continued to spit while he was talking to them, he and his partner snapped.
“(Morgan) kicked the officer in the chest with his left foot and as the other officer tried to assist, he got his left arm free (from the handcuff) and swung at her,” the prosecution said.
Both officers doused Morgan in pepper spray and called for immediate back-up as he raised his fists in a bid to fight them.
Morgan’s lawyer said his client relapsed after abstaining from heavy alcohol abuse which caused him to spiral and reoffend.
“His criminal history is consistent with alcohol abuse,” Magistrate Timothy Gattuso said.
“You can’t act the way you’ve been acting … you’ll hurt someone if you continue (to drink).”
Morgan, who has spent 41 days in custody, pleaded guilty to a number of charges including resist an emergency services worker.
He will be assessed for a community corrections order before he is sentenced on July 28.
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au
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