Territory cop Deanna Mason pleads not guilty to assault after biffo at work Christmas party

A POLICE officer who ended up in a punch-up on Mitchell St after a boozy Palmerston police station Christmas party has told Darwin Local Court she was acting in self defence

Senior Constable Deanna Mason (middle) leaves Darwin Local Court with her lawyer, Ray Murphy (left) and supporters after pleading not guilty to aggravated assault.

A POLICE officer who ended up in a punch-up on Mitchell St after a boozy Palmerston police station Christmas party has told Darwin Local Court she was acting in self defence.

Senior Constable Deanna Mason, 34, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a single count of aggravated assault.

Mason, who has been a police officer for eight years, told the court she waited in line at Wisdom’s nightclub for 10 or 15 minutes before ordering “about eight or nine drinks” for the group of off-duty officers she was with.

“There was a female next to me, I don’t know who she was and when I was placing my order this female just turned around and said: ‘are you f*cking kidding me?’,” Mason said.

“I just ignored her, I knew she was talking about me because I had been served before her.”

Mason said she was fumbling to get her credit card out of her husband’s wallet, which also had his police badge in it, when the confrontation escalated.

Deanna Mason says she was acting in self defence during a scrap at Wisdom’s nightclub on Mitchell St

“This girl to the right of me has said: ‘You think you’re a police officer so you’re going to get free drinks?’ and: ‘F*cking hurry up you’re not going to get free drinks’,” she said.

“She was having a go at me and I just wanted her to stop.”

Mason’s lawyer, Ray Murphy, has previously told the court his client’s defence was that she acted in self defence, or as part of a consensual fight with the alleged victim, Alexandra O’Malley.

Barrister Mary Chalmers, prosecuting, said it was not part of the case against Mason that she misused a police badge.

Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw has previously incorrectly stated the fracas took place at the neighbouring bar, Monsoons.

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Mason said she struck Ms O’Malley to the face while in fear for her own safety.

“I thought she was going to bash me, I didn’t know what to do,” she said.

Witness Senior Constable Shaun Patterson told the court the blow Mason landed was with a closed fist but not a typical punch.

“Girls don’t punch like blokes,” he said.

Ms O’Malley was left with redness over her eye, and made her way to the city police station after leaving Wisdom’s but said she was fobbed off at the front counter.

“She just said I was intoxicated and needed to fill out a form,” she said.

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She said she didn’t remember saying anything like “f*cking cops think they can get free drinks”.

She said she couldn’t remember whether she pushed Mason into the bar before she was hit in the face.

The hearing, before Judge John Neill, continues.