Teen’s sentence for biting cop ‘outrageously light’: NT Police Association

A TEENAGER who bit a police officer in the chest while being arrested has been sentenced

• Teen to be sentenced over biting police officer in Alice Springs
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• Police officer allegedly bitten by woman during arrest

UPDATE: A SENTENCE of community service for a young woman who bit a police officer on the chest while she was resisting arrest in Alice Springs is “an outrageously light sentence”, the Northern Territory Police Association says.

“It is not good enough for a Local Court Judge to deliver such a soft sentence on an 18-year-old woman who the court heard was drunk and ‘verbally abused the police officers and when they tried to arrest her when she tried to break free and swung her arms around before biting an officer’, NTPA President Paul McCue said.

The male officer suffered bruising and had to get tested for diseases.

He said police members “deserve better”.

“Being bitten or spat at is one of the most abhorrent crimes against our members we see, and it is becoming a far too common occurrence”, Mr McCue said.

Shalayna Lechleitner, 18, was convicted of assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and behaving disorderly in a public place and fined $450 and sentenced to 136 hours of community work.

This sentence was handed down in the same week that footage depicting crime and violence in Alice Springs – including a police officer nearly being hit in the head by a shovel – was shown on national television on A Current Affair.

“That is what our members put up with every single day they go to work, and they should not be subjected to this kind of violent treatment while simply protecting the community.,” Mr McCue said.

“It is not good enough from the courts.

“While we acknowledge the judge’s supportive comments that ‘an assault on police is an assault on our community’, this sentence is below community expectations.

The NTPA said the sentence reflected community expectations that violent offenders including youths who assault police and emergency service workers should be dealt with appropriately by the courts and not be routinely given bail.

EARLIER: A TEENAGER, who bit a police officer while being arrested, will spend more than 130 hours undertaking unpaid community work.

Shalayna Lechleitner, 18, pleaded guilty in Alice Springs Local Court to assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and behaving disorderly in a public place.

Shalayna Lechleitner has been sentenced over biting a police officer. Picture: Supplied/Facebook

About midnight on February 13 she was approached by police in Todd Mall while in a group of women who had been drinking.

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The court heard she verbally abused the police officers and when they tried to arrest her she tried to break free and swung her arms around before biting an officer.

During sentencing Judge Meredith Huntingford said Lechleitner was “clearly being disorderly” during the arrest.

“You swung your arms around. During that struggle you bit (an officer) in the centre of his chest … which resulted in immediate bruising.

“He said he felt disgusted and felt anger and frustration.

“He said he needed to get tested for diseases, although it didn’t weigh heavily on him.

“The fact you got angry when he took your bag was not an excuse … nor was drinking.

Judge Huntingford said although remorse was not immediate, since watching the body worn footage she had “since completely changed your view”

.

“When you viewed that body worn footage you were surprised and remorseful,” she said.

The court heard Lechleitner had no criminal record and had attending several psychological services since March 1, which revealed she gave a good insight into her personal matters.

“An assault on police is an assault on our community,” Judge Huntingford said.

“The community relies on police officers to maintain law and order.

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“I think there are strong indications that you have a very good prospect for your future.”

Lechleitner was convicted on all charges, fined $450 in victim levies and sentenced to 136 hours of community work.