Mum charged after trying to stop kids being taken into care avoids conviction

A Top End mum charged with resisting police after trying to stop her kids being taken from her and placed into the care of their allegedly abusive father has avoided a conviction.

A TOP End mum charged with resisting police after trying to stop her kids being taken from her and placed into the care of their allegedly abusive father has avoided a conviction.

The woman, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her children, pleaded guilty in the Darwin Local Court to the charge as well as disorderly behaviour in a public place.

The court heard police had arrived at her home on November 11 last year to assist Territory Families to execute a court order to take her children into care.

When the officers called out to her to come outside and talk, she came out of the house “yelling abuse” and saying “you can all f*** off, no one is taking my kids”.

The woman went back inside and refused to speak to the Territory Families staff but came out again when a friend of hers arrived at the address and continued yelling abuse.

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When the officers told her to stop or be arrested she replied by saying“f*** you, what are you even doing here”.

Police attempted to place her under arrest but she kicked out her legs and flailed her arms around before they eventually managed to get her handcuffed and took her to the watch house.

Her lawyer, Thelma Gray, told the court Territory Families’ application to take the woman’s kids into care had since been withdrawn and dismissed by a court and they were now back in her care.

“The father of the children, my client believes, had been sexually abusing them,” she said.

“She was advised they were going to be placed in the care of the man who had been sexually abusing them.”

In handing the woman a six month good behaviour bond without conviction, judge Greg Cavanagh said he took into account her “very positive good character” and “the emotional scene that you were confronted with”.

“It was an unusual circumstance, I understand your emotional reaction,” he said.

“(But) the police have got a job to do, you know that as well as anyone else.”

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